Iraq Veterans Against War, one Long Island mans account, and the bigger issue of propaganda and censorship in the war

A censored war, censored veterans, media black out of Pentagon propaganda "experts" on their payroll and the upcoming war with Iran. What is the facts? will we ever know?

We start our story with Joe Everybody, Kristofer Goldsmith,who starts his on Sept. 11 2001, with rage in his heart, he signed up to protect America

Goldsmith saw the World Trade Center towers collapse on September 11, 2001. He enlisted in the Army and went to Iraq in 2005. In Sadr City, he witnessed abuse of Iraqi civilians. He was assigned to take pictures of Iraqis found in a shallow grave, ostensibly for intelligence purposes, but they were only used as trophies by those who received them. After repeated commendations, he was expecting to return to civilian life and college when President Bush announced the “surge,” and the military adopted its stop-loss policy, essentially making Goldsmith a prisoner of war. He tried to kill himself rather than return to Iraq, but survived. He was diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and PTSD, but then was discharged for misconduct as a malingerer. He now delivers pizzas and struggles to overcome his persisting symptoms with treatment through the VA.

This video was played at the "Winter Soldier: Iraq and Afghanistan conference (3/13/08-3/16/08)", where dozens of veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars gathered in Silver Spring, Maryland and offered harrowing testimony about atrocities they had witnessed or participated in directly.

The BBC predicted that the event, organized by Iraq Veterans Against the War, "could be dominating the headlines around the world this week(*March---Joe)", and while it was truly broadcast internationally, here in the States it was almost completely blacked out.

Even with the bullshit media blitzing of supporting our troops, when it came down to actually listening to the over 1000 member group of veterans and getting their message out, The New York Times claimed that they had "not been aware of the group or its meeting,"

According to FAIR - Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (4/8/08) :

The Times’ D.C. bureau editor’s claim to have not heard of the hearings is remarkable, given that the AP newswire carried a story on the hearings, and IVAW has confirmed to FAIR that the D.C. bureau had been sent three separate rounds of different IVAW press releases. In addition, at least 150 Times staffers were sent press releases about Winter Soldier by the Institute for Public Accuracy, a group that encourages inclusion of overlooked facts and progressive perspectives in media coverage. Given that media organizations operating on a small fraction of the Times' budget were aware of and able to find the resources to cover these hearings, the Times’ D.C. bureau’s plea to ignorance about the hearings is all the more disappointing.

Blackouts are only the beginning, and the New York Times actually came forward to explain that the Pentagon had strategically placed "war experts into the media" to say all is going well in Iraq. They seem to have been placed there in an effort to sell the American public the Iraq war. From Source Watch:

"Internal Pentagon documents repeatedly refer to the military analysts as 'message force multipliers' or 'surrogates' who could be counted on to deliver administration 'themes and messages' to millions of Americans 'in the form of their own opinions.' ... Don Meyer, an aide to Ms. Clarke, said a strategic decision was made in 2002 to make the analysts the main focus of the public relations push to construct a case for war." Clarke and her senior aide, Brent T. Krueger, eventually signed up more than 75 retired military officers, who appeared on television and radio news shows as military analysts, and/or penned newspaper op/ed columns. The Pentagon held weekly meetings with the military analysts, which continued as of April 2008, when David Barstow reported on the program in the New York Times.

So, if you don't read the Times, you know nothing of what I'm speaking about, do you? It has also been blacked out by the national media outlets, an illegal media propaganda campaign completely blacked out. Isn't this the type of thing we fought Hitler for?

From PR Watch.org (5/6/08) :

Here is the official Pentagon website with the 8,000 pages of documents, the most interesting and revealing of them previously secret and only available to the Pentagon and the New York Times:

http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/milanalysts/

More than two weeks after the New York Times reported on the Penatgon's military analyst program to sell controversial policies such as the invasion of Iraq, the broadcast television news outlets implicated in the program are hoping to tough out the scandal by refusing to report it. Recently Media Matters of America (MMA) reported that, according to a search of the Nexis database, "the three major broadcast networks -- ABC, CBS, and NBC -- have still not mentioned the report at all."

The Pew Excellence in Journalism project has a chart showing that " there was virtually no mainstream media follow up to The Times’ expose" with the only national TV coverage being the introduction segment and live debate featuring CMD's John Stauber on the PBS NewsHour.

Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro and three dozen colleagues have sent a letter to the Department of Defense Inspector General calling for an investigation of this "propaganda campaign aimed at deliberately misleading the American public."

Last month. one of the propaganda team came forward and saw a vision, in April one of the Pentagon’s propaganda team of military analysts exposed by David Barstow in the NYT, a Ret. Gen. Thomas McInerney, speaking on FOX News, openly called for the US to begin committing “tit-for-tat” terrorist attacks by proxy inside Iran.

Craziness you may say, apparently Iran seems to believe it to be a fact, according to the Tahran Times, Iran's leading international daily, in an article entitled "Iran busts CIA terror network" (5/18/08) :

n a coordinated operation on May 7, Iranian intelligence agents arrested the terrorist network’s members, who were identified in Fars, Khuzestan, Gilan, West Azerbaijan, and Tehran provinces, the Intelligence Ministry announcement said.

The group’s plans were devised in the U.S., according to the announcement, which added that they had planned to carry out a number of acts such as bombing scientific, educational, and religious centers, shooting people, and making public places in various cities insecure.

One of the terrorists was killed in the operation, but the rest are in detention, the Intelligence Ministry said, adding that the group’s main objective was to create fear among the people.

The United States Central Intelligence Agency comprehensively supported the terrorist group by arming it, training its members, and sponsoring its inhumane activities in Iran, the Intelligence Ministry stated.

The terrorists had maps, films, pictures, and sketches of important and sensitive sites in various cities in their possession when they were arrested.

The Los Angeles Times says there is no proof to Iraq's claims in its article "IRAN: Tehran accuses West of waging war on its turf" (5/16/08), while Bush and Israel have agreed that there needs to be "tangible action in Iran." (Yahoo News 5/16)

What's really going on in Iraq, Iran and in the United Stated media? I don't know if this generation will ever know.



Censorship is the bane of our society, to get some Journalistic integrity and/or some type of opposing view, check the links below and familiarize yourself with the sites.

• U.S. Sergeant Refuses to Go to Iraq: "This Occupation is Unconstitutional and Illegal" - AlterNet (5/16/08)
• Why Are Winter Soldiers Not News? - FAIR (3/19/08)
• Pentagon Propagandist General Calls for US to Sponsor Terrorism Against Iran - Crooks and Liars (5/15/08)
• The Common Man News
• Dahr Jamail's MidEast Dispatch
• Iraq Vets Will Detail U.S. Atrocities in Winter Soldier Hearings - AlterNet (3/11/08)
• Iraq Veterans Against War
• UTNE Reader
• Mother Jones

And if you really want to support our troops, check out

• IAVA - The Iraq an Afghanistan Veterans of America
• The Wounded Warriors Project
  

While we are on the political take, may I place this great cartoon for all of my readers to enjoy

Iraq Veterans Against War, one Long Island mans account, and the bigger issue of propaganda and censorship in the war

A censored war, censored veterans, media black out of Pentagon propaganda "experts" on their payroll and the upcoming war with Iran. What is the facts? will we ever know?

We start our story with Joe Everybody, Kristofer Goldsmith,who starts his on Sept. 11 2001, with rage in his heart, he signed up to protect America

Goldsmith saw the World Trade Center towers collapse on September 11, 2001. He enlisted in the Army and went to Iraq in 2005. In Sadr City, he witnessed abuse of Iraqi civilians. He was assigned to take pictures of Iraqis found in a shallow grave, ostensibly for intelligence purposes, but they were only used as trophies by those who received them. After repeated commendations, he was expecting to return to civilian life and college when President Bush announced the “surge,” and the military adopted its stop-loss policy, essentially making Goldsmith a prisoner of war. He tried to kill himself rather than return to Iraq, but survived. He was diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and PTSD, but then was discharged for misconduct as a malingerer. He now delivers pizzas and struggles to overcome his persisting symptoms with treatment through the VA.

This video was played at the "Winter Soldier: Iraq and Afghanistan conference (3/13/08-3/16/08)", where dozens of veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars gathered in Silver Spring, Maryland and offered harrowing testimony about atrocities they had witnessed or participated in directly.

The BBC predicted that the event, organized by Iraq Veterans Against the War, "could be dominating the headlines around the world this week(*March---Joe)", and while it was truly broadcast internationally, here in the States it was almost completely blacked out.

Even with the bullshit media blitzing of supporting our troops, when it came down to actually listening to the over 1000 member group of veterans and getting their message out, The New York Times claimed that they had "not been aware of the group or its meeting,"

According to FAIR - Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (4/8/08) :

The Times’ D.C. bureau editor’s claim to have not heard of the hearings is remarkable, given that the AP newswire carried a story on the hearings, and IVAW has confirmed to FAIR that the D.C. bureau had been sent three separate rounds of different IVAW press releases. In addition, at least 150 Times staffers were sent press releases about Winter Soldier by the Institute for Public Accuracy, a group that encourages inclusion of overlooked facts and progressive perspectives in media coverage. Given that media organizations operating on a small fraction of the Times' budget were aware of and able to find the resources to cover these hearings, the Times’ D.C. bureau’s plea to ignorance about the hearings is all the more disappointing.

Blackouts are only the beginning, and the New York Times actually came forward to explain that the Pentagon had strategically placed "war experts into the media" to say all is going well in Iraq. They seem to have been placed there in an effort to sell the American public the Iraq war. From Source Watch:

"Internal Pentagon documents repeatedly refer to the military analysts as 'message force multipliers' or 'surrogates' who could be counted on to deliver administration 'themes and messages' to millions of Americans 'in the form of their own opinions.' ... Don Meyer, an aide to Ms. Clarke, said a strategic decision was made in 2002 to make the analysts the main focus of the public relations push to construct a case for war." Clarke and her senior aide, Brent T. Krueger, eventually signed up more than 75 retired military officers, who appeared on television and radio news shows as military analysts, and/or penned newspaper op/ed columns. The Pentagon held weekly meetings with the military analysts, which continued as of April 2008, when David Barstow reported on the program in the New York Times.

So, if you don't read the Times, you know nothing of what I'm speaking about, do you? It has also been blacked out by the national media outlets, an illegal media propaganda campaign completely blacked out. Isn't this the type of thing we fought Hitler for?

From PR Watch.org (5/6/08) :

Here is the official Pentagon website with the 8,000 pages of documents, the most interesting and revealing of them previously secret and only available to the Pentagon and the New York Times:

http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/milanalysts/

More than two weeks after the New York Times reported on the Penatgon's military analyst program to sell controversial policies such as the invasion of Iraq, the broadcast television news outlets implicated in the program are hoping to tough out the scandal by refusing to report it. Recently Media Matters of America (MMA) reported that, according to a search of the Nexis database, "the three major broadcast networks -- ABC, CBS, and NBC -- have still not mentioned the report at all."

The Pew Excellence in Journalism project has a chart showing that " there was virtually no mainstream media follow up to The Times’ expose" with the only national TV coverage being the introduction segment and live debate featuring CMD's John Stauber on the PBS NewsHour.

Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro and three dozen colleagues have sent a letter to the Department of Defense Inspector General calling for an investigation of this "propaganda campaign aimed at deliberately misleading the American public."

Last month. one of the propaganda team came forward and saw a vision, in April one of the Pentagon’s propaganda team of military analysts exposed by David Barstow in the NYT, a Ret. Gen. Thomas McInerney, speaking on FOX News, openly called for the US to begin committing “tit-for-tat” terrorist attacks by proxy inside Iran.

Craziness you may say, apparently Iran seems to believe it to be a fact, according to the Tahran Times, Iran's leading international daily, in an article entitled "Iran busts CIA terror network" (5/18/08) :

n a coordinated operation on May 7, Iranian intelligence agents arrested the terrorist network’s members, who were identified in Fars, Khuzestan, Gilan, West Azerbaijan, and Tehran provinces, the Intelligence Ministry announcement said.

The group’s plans were devised in the U.S., according to the announcement, which added that they had planned to carry out a number of acts such as bombing scientific, educational, and religious centers, shooting people, and making public places in various cities insecure.

One of the terrorists was killed in the operation, but the rest are in detention, the Intelligence Ministry said, adding that the group’s main objective was to create fear among the people.

The United States Central Intelligence Agency comprehensively supported the terrorist group by arming it, training its members, and sponsoring its inhumane activities in Iran, the Intelligence Ministry stated.

The terrorists had maps, films, pictures, and sketches of important and sensitive sites in various cities in their possession when they were arrested.

The Los Angeles Times says there is no proof to Iraq's claims in its article "IRAN: Tehran accuses West of waging war on its turf" (5/16/08), while Bush and Israel have agreed that there needs to be "tangible action in Iran." (Yahoo News 5/16)

What's really going on in Iraq, Iran and in the United Stated media? I don't know if this generation will ever know.



Censorship is the bane of our society, to get some Journalistic integrity and/or some type of opposing view, check the links below and familiarize yourself with the sites.

• U.S. Sergeant Refuses to Go to Iraq: "This Occupation is Unconstitutional and Illegal" - AlterNet (5/16/08)
• Why Are Winter Soldiers Not News? - FAIR (3/19/08)
• Pentagon Propagandist General Calls for US to Sponsor Terrorism Against Iran - Crooks and Liars (5/15/08)
• The Common Man News
• Dahr Jamail's MidEast Dispatch
• Iraq Vets Will Detail U.S. Atrocities in Winter Soldier Hearings - AlterNet (3/11/08)
• Iraq Veterans Against War
• UTNE Reader
• Mother Jones

And if you really want to support our troops, check out

• IAVA - The Iraq an Afghanistan Veterans of America
• The Wounded Warriors Project
  

While we are on the political take, may I place this great cartoon for all of my readers to enjoy

Mobile agreement between New Era and Teamsters paves way for overwhelming union vote in Jackson facility

"The Teamsters reached an agreement with New Era Cap earlier this year with its Mobile, Alabama workers that helped lead to today's victory." - Jimmy Hoffa Jr., President International Brotherhood of Teamsters

In Feburary 2008, the Teamster, New Era Cap and the NAACP jointly announced a tentative 3 year agreement in the Mobile, Alabama facility. Part of that agreement was that the company and the union would remain neutrality, whereby they would stand clear of coercion in the organizing of other New Era Cap facilities.

Friday, the workers in the Jackson, Alabama facility, which employees 326, voted overwhelmingly, 209-77, to become union members in the Teamsters Local 991.

"We are pleased to welcome the New Era Cap workers to the Teamsters and we will work hard to represent them," said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa. "The Teamsters reached an agreement with New Era Cap earlier this year with its Mobile, Alabama workers that helped lead to today's victory."

"I was not surprised at the size of the victory because all the workers know we need a change in how we are treated and I tip my hat to the Teamsters for coming in here and helping us," said Nancy Phelon, a three-year worker who works in Stitching. "I know the Teamsters will be behind us from now on."

Read more in the Press Release at PR Newswire

Mobile agreement between New Era and Teamsters paves way for overwhelming union vote in Jackson facility

"The Teamsters reached an agreement with New Era Cap earlier this year with its Mobile, Alabama workers that helped lead to today's victory." - Jimmy Hoffa Jr., President International Brotherhood of Teamsters

In Feburary 2008, the Teamster, New Era Cap and the NAACP jointly announced a tentative 3 year agreement in the Mobile, Alabama facility. Part of that agreement was that the company and the union would remain neutrality, whereby they would stand clear of coercion in the organizing of other New Era Cap facilities.

Friday, the workers in the Jackson, Alabama facility, which employees 326, voted overwhelmingly, 209-77, to become union members in the Teamsters Local 991.

"We are pleased to welcome the New Era Cap workers to the Teamsters and we will work hard to represent them," said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa. "The Teamsters reached an agreement with New Era Cap earlier this year with its Mobile, Alabama workers that helped lead to today's victory."

"I was not surprised at the size of the victory because all the workers know we need a change in how we are treated and I tip my hat to the Teamsters for coming in here and helping us," said Nancy Phelon, a three-year worker who works in Stitching. "I know the Teamsters will be behind us from now on."

Read more in the Press Release at PR Newswire

American Axle/UAW reach tentative pact, Cheektowaga to stay open, Tonawanda Forge to close

There is a tentative agreement between AAM and UAW, not many details as of yet. Buffalo Cheektowaga facility to stay open, Tonawanda Forge to close, don't know much more yet, details will be released Sunday morning. WSBT DTV reports "A spokesperson who was briefed on the agreement says the auto part supplier has boosted its wage offer and increased payments it will give workers to take a wage cut."

From AFL-CIO Blog (5/17/08):

The UAW and American Axle Manufacturing have reached a tentative agreement to end a strike by 3,600 UAW members at American Axle plants in Michigan and New York. The workers have been on strike since Feb. 26. The tentative pact was announced late yesterday.

Says UAW President Gettelfinger:

Our members at American Axle have displayed extraordinary solidarity during this strike. the bargaining committee worked extremely hard to achieve this tentative agreement and they have voted to recommend it to the membership.

Details of the tentative agreement will be presented to UAW members who work in the two Detroit area plants at a meeting tomorrow morning. Meetings for workers at the other three American Axle facilities are being scheduled.

Buffalo's News 4 reports:

About 116 people work at the Cheektowaga plant.

The agreement does call for closing the Tonawanda Forge, which employs around 400.

State Assemblyman Dennis Gabryszak, who was Town Supervisor when American Axle moved into Cheektowaga, has mixed feelings.

Gabryszak said, "For them to be able to go back to work knowing they'll have jobs for at least the next four years that's the good thing. Of course the downside is losing those jobs in Tonawanda plant."

Klostermann said, "There's a lot of skepticism, sure there's probably a general uplifting feeling but for the most part until we see what's going to be offered you really can't let your guard down."

The workers have been on strike for eleven and-a-half weeks.

More American Axle strike headlines below

American Axle/UAW reach tentative pact, Cheektowaga to stay open, Tonawanda Forge to close

There is a tentative agreement between AAM and UAW, not many details as of yet. Buffalo Cheektowaga facility to stay open, Tonawanda Forge to close, don't know much more yet, details will be released Sunday morning. WSBT DTV reports "A spokesperson who was briefed on the agreement says the auto part supplier has boosted its wage offer and increased payments it will give workers to take a wage cut."

From AFL-CIO Blog (5/17/08):

The UAW and American Axle Manufacturing have reached a tentative agreement to end a strike by 3,600 UAW members at American Axle plants in Michigan and New York. The workers have been on strike since Feb. 26. The tentative pact was announced late yesterday.

Says UAW President Gettelfinger:

Our members at American Axle have displayed extraordinary solidarity during this strike. the bargaining committee worked extremely hard to achieve this tentative agreement and they have voted to recommend it to the membership.

Details of the tentative agreement will be presented to UAW members who work in the two Detroit area plants at a meeting tomorrow morning. Meetings for workers at the other three American Axle facilities are being scheduled.

Buffalo's News 4 reports:

About 116 people work at the Cheektowaga plant.

The agreement does call for closing the Tonawanda Forge, which employs around 400.

State Assemblyman Dennis Gabryszak, who was Town Supervisor when American Axle moved into Cheektowaga, has mixed feelings.

Gabryszak said, "For them to be able to go back to work knowing they'll have jobs for at least the next four years that's the good thing. Of course the downside is losing those jobs in Tonawanda plant."

Klostermann said, "There's a lot of skepticism, sure there's probably a general uplifting feeling but for the most part until we see what's going to be offered you really can't let your guard down."

The workers have been on strike for eleven and-a-half weeks.

More American Axle strike headlines below

NY: Rock icon's The Police pledge $1 million to plant a million trees, to perform 1 last concert to benefit Public Television

From May 6th. Bloomberg press release :

MAYOR BLOOMBERG, STING AND THE POLICE ANNOUNCE CONTRIBUTION TO MILLIONTREESNYC AND REVEAL THAT THEIR LAST EVER CONCERT WILL TAKE PLACE IN NEW YORK CITY TO BENEFIT LOCAL PUBLIC TELEVISION STATIONS
$2 Million Contribution to MillionTreesNYC - $1 Million Pledged by The Police, an Amount Matched by the City - Will Plant 10,000 New Trees and Help Reforest 2,000 Acres
Final Concert Will Raise Funds for Thirteen / WNET and WLIW New York

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg joined Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland of The Police to announce that the band's final concert will be in New York City and their commitment to MillionTreesNYC, the City's initiative to plant one million trees by the year 2017. MillionTreesNYC is a component of PlaNYC, the Mayor's plan to make the City more sustainable and reduce its carbon footprint 30 percent by 2030. The Police pledged $1 million to the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City in support of MillionTreesNYC. This donation, matched by the City, will provide $2 million which will plant 10,000 trees and help launch the reforestation component of MillionTreesNYC, which will reforest 2,000 acres of parkland across the five boroughs. Reforestation efforts improve air and water quality, reduce greenhouse gases and lower energy costs.

"The Police are now part of one of the most exciting elements of PlaNYC - MillionTreesNYC - our initiative to plant one million new trees over the next 10 years," said Mayor Bloomberg. "Sting's human right's advocacy is well known, as is his support for the environment, especially the rainforests. Today The Police have demonstrated their commitment to greening our City."

"We are pleased to contribute to this powerful and historic initiative that will undoubtedly improve the quality of life for future generations," said The Police. "We applaud Mayor Bloomberg and the City of New York for boldly confronting the City's environmental issues and are excited to support their goal of creating a healthier, more sustainable City."

NY: Rock icon's The Police pledge $1 million to plant a million trees, to perform 1 last concert to benefit Public Television

From May 6th. Bloomberg press release :

MAYOR BLOOMBERG, STING AND THE POLICE ANNOUNCE CONTRIBUTION TO MILLIONTREESNYC AND REVEAL THAT THEIR LAST EVER CONCERT WILL TAKE PLACE IN NEW YORK CITY TO BENEFIT LOCAL PUBLIC TELEVISION STATIONS
$2 Million Contribution to MillionTreesNYC - $1 Million Pledged by The Police, an Amount Matched by the City - Will Plant 10,000 New Trees and Help Reforest 2,000 Acres
Final Concert Will Raise Funds for Thirteen / WNET and WLIW New York

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg joined Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland of The Police to announce that the band's final concert will be in New York City and their commitment to MillionTreesNYC, the City's initiative to plant one million trees by the year 2017. MillionTreesNYC is a component of PlaNYC, the Mayor's plan to make the City more sustainable and reduce its carbon footprint 30 percent by 2030. The Police pledged $1 million to the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City in support of MillionTreesNYC. This donation, matched by the City, will provide $2 million which will plant 10,000 trees and help launch the reforestation component of MillionTreesNYC, which will reforest 2,000 acres of parkland across the five boroughs. Reforestation efforts improve air and water quality, reduce greenhouse gases and lower energy costs.

"The Police are now part of one of the most exciting elements of PlaNYC - MillionTreesNYC - our initiative to plant one million new trees over the next 10 years," said Mayor Bloomberg. "Sting's human right's advocacy is well known, as is his support for the environment, especially the rainforests. Today The Police have demonstrated their commitment to greening our City."

"We are pleased to contribute to this powerful and historic initiative that will undoubtedly improve the quality of life for future generations," said The Police. "We applaud Mayor Bloomberg and the City of New York for boldly confronting the City's environmental issues and are excited to support their goal of creating a healthier, more sustainable City."

Ohio: Join with locked out members of Kongsberg Automotive today Sat. May

Safety Workers Bill dropped for the moment, hard core anti-worker conservatives playing games

UPDATE To: Victory: Senate vote's overwhelmingly in favor of America's public safety workers (5/13/08)

According to the Associated Press this Bill has been dropped for the time being, from The NY Times (5/15/08):

Democrats drop first - responder bill
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senate Democrats on Thursday dropped a bill allowing all police, firefighters and other first responders to unionize after Republicans complained they didn't get enough time to offer amendments.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he did not have enough votes to force final consideration of the bill.

The two top senators on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee, Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., will try to work out an agreement before the bill comes back for consideration, Reid said.

The bill would guarantee public safety officers the right to join unions and bargain over wages, hours and conditions of employment. It also would ban them from going on strike.

Two states, Virginia and North Carolina, prohibit public safety officers from collective bargaining. At least 20 other states don't fully protect collective bargaining rights for firefighters, police officers, corrections officers and emergency medical service workers, supporters said.

States could exempt towns with fewer than 5,000 people or fewer than 25 full-time employees.

''I know there are diverse views on this issue,'' Kennedy said. ''We'll try to work out an orderly process and proceed.''

Sources say, that while there is strong bipartisan support, 11 Republicans are co-sponsors of the Bill, there is also fierce opposition, particularly from Enzi, DeMint and Vitter who have essentially been filibustering by amendment. The Bill will be brought up again right before or after Senate recess.

Stop Big Media: Huge Senate win!

second good news, E-Activism works, even if it takes a while, when the FCC on December 17th. 2007, went against 99% of American peoples wishes and overturned a rule that 1 company can not own more than one of either print, tv or radio in any one region, FreePress went to work, getting people like you and I involved in stressing to our Senators that we the people can not take this blatant disregard of our wishes. I wrote "Now Big Media can hurt workers better" at the FreePress Blog on Dec. 19th., the CWA and AFTRA joined in the fight

From the E-Mailbox

Dear Joseph, Just moments ago, by a near-unanimous vote, the Senate stood up to Big Media. They voted to throw out the FCC decision to let the largest media companies swallow up even more local media. This is simply an astounding victory, and it would not have happened without the massive grassroots effort by you and thousands of others who called their senators, sent more than a quarter million letters, posted thousands of pictures and stories on StopBigMedia.com, and testified at public hearings held by the FCC. It was your dedication that made today's Senate win possible. Today was a huge step forward, but there is still much to do. The fight against the FCC now moves to the House, where our elected representatives need to hear from us. President Bush has promised that he will try to veto this bill. But tonight the Senate and the American people have spoken with one voice. This historic vote sends a clear message that the only people who support more media consolidation are Big Media lobbyists and the White House. We are in this struggle to bring more minority ownership, diverse perspectives and independent voices to the media. We need to make media consolidation an election-year issue. And we need to start talking about how to break up the giant conglomerates. Corporate news today -- with its propaganda pundits, horse-race election coverage, and celebrity gossip -- undermines our democracy. We must continue to speak out and demand that the public airwaves be used to actually serve the public. In just three weeks, thousands of people will be gathering together in Minnesota to build the movement for better media. You can join them at the National Conference for Media Reform, just visit www.freepress.net/conference. For today, know that you played a key role in the fight for better media for all. Thank you, Josh Silver Executive Director Free Press Action Fund

StopBigMedia.com is a project of Free Press and the Free Press Action Fund, on the Web at www.freepress.net.

House votes to give returning vets a fighting chance for a secure future

Follow up to:

• Follow up to 'E-Activism can help our returning vets to become workers, not homeless. Help fix the insufficient GI Bill. (3/8/08)
  
• Reminder: Help give our vets a chance of a secure future of employment. Get E-Active! (3/13/08)
  
• E-Activism can help our returning vets to become workers, not homeless. Help fix the insufficient GI Bill. (2/7/08)

Dear Joseph, You did it. Just a few minutes ago, the House of Representatives passed the new GI Bill by a vote of 256-166, as an attachment to the emergency supplemental. Click here to view the full list of who voted for it and who voted against it. Earlier this week, we told you that the new GI Bill was facing opposition from a small group of Representatives in the House, who were threatening the bill despite its deep bi-partisan support. We asked for your help, and you stepped up to the plate. Thousands of you took action by calling your Representatives, signing the petition at www.GIBill2008.org, and spreading the word to your friends and neighbors. Today, your dedication paid off and together, we made history. There's no question that your efforts had an impact. Referring specifically to the group of Representatives that were standing in the way of the bill, known as the Blue Dogs, the Politico, a Washington-insider newspaper, said that "there had been erosion among Blue Dogs in the face of pressure from veterans groups."1 The leadership you demonstrated in fighting for this bill shows that IAVA is a force to be reckoned with. The new GI Bill has widespread support among Democrats, Republicans, and all of the major veterans organizations. But the legislative process is a long one, and it's your dedication that keeps it going during these crucial stages. Next week, the Senate will have to vote on the bill as well. After that, it will go to the President's desk for his signature. We'll keep you updated via email, but for the latest news, just visit www.GIBill2008.org. Thank you again for standing with us. The support we're getting in this fight has been truly inspiring. Sincerely, Patrick Campbell Iraq Veteran Legislative Director Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America 1. Politico: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0508/10331.html