from: William Hughes

Today, Oct. 7, 2009, is Mayo Shattuck, III’s 55th birthday. He’s the CEO of Constellation Energy (CE) and he’s set to receive a $33 million golden parachute! This is so even though many, like the advocacy group, Progressive Maryland Education Fund (PMEF), feel he doesn’t deserve a penny of it. They claim he’s done a lousy job as CEO and that he has driven the company to the “brink of bankruptcy.” The group also charged, at a press conference held on President Street, opposite CE’s Baltimore headquarters, that the $33 million pay out, which is at the expense of the beleaguered ratepayers, “could be illegal.” PMEF is asking the Maryland Attorney General, Doug Gansler, to investigate, and hopefully, “nullify Shattuck’s bonus.” Maryland State Senators Jamie Raskin (D-Montgomery CO) and Jim Brochin (D-Baltimore CO) are joining in that effort. Sean Dobson and Matt Weinstein of the PMEF spoke at the press conference, where they revealed their “birthday surprise” presents for Mr. Shattuck: a fake-golden watch valued at $14.95, a twinkie birthday cake and a huge handmade birthday card which mocked his supposedly unearned bonus of $33 million. After the press conference, the group marched over to CE’s headquarters on Pratt Street, entered the building, and tried to present their “birthday surprise” personally to Mr. Shattuck. They were rebuffed from doing so and requested to: “leave the building!” For background, go here: http://progressivemaryland.org/page.php?id=268 and to http://www.forbes.com/lists/2009/12/best-boss-09_Mayo-A-Shattuck-III_QHRA.html

from: William Hughes

On Monday, Oct. 5, 2009, just after noon, about 60 activists were arrested at the White House for failing to obey a police order. The nonviolent “Civil Resistance” action was the largest such antiwar demonstration at this particular site, since President Barack Obama took office. Hundreds more participated in the event, but chose not to get arrested. Some of those arrested wore orange jump suits and black hoods. A few had chained themselves to the White House fence. “Peace Mom,” Cindy Sheehan was one of those arrested. According to the press release of the sponsoring groups the action was carried out in order to focus attention on ending the U.S. war in Afghanistan and the U.S. occupation of Iraq; stopping the U.S. drone bombings in Pakistan; and to demand the closing, as a moral and legal issue, of the Gitmo and Bagram prisons. The activists also want the culpable members of the Bush-Cheney Gang brought to the Bar of Justice for their role in sanctioning and carrying out the illegal policy of torture. See: http://www.iraqpledge.org/ and http://www.democrats.com/node/21009 and http://vcnv.org/ncnr and for a legal perspective on the practice of nonviolent resistance, check out Professor Frances A. Boyle's’ excellent book, “Protesting Power: War, Resistance, and Law” at: http://baltimore.indymedia.org/newswire/display/16855/index.php
For the exact charges placed against each activist arrested and for the exact numbers arrested, and for the organizers’ estimate of the crowd size, go to sites of the groups linked in the above cited press release.

from: William Hughes

One of Hollywood’s greatest flicks, “Casablanca,” came to mind yesterday, Oct. 5, 2009. It happened in front of the Obama-occupied White House, where a nonviolent antiwar protest action was taking place. All of sudden, it was like the Police Captain, Louis Renault, (played by that marvelous English actor, Claude Rains), made an appearance at the scene and barked out that memorable line: “Round Up the Usual Suspects!” For background on the protest rally, see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l9PEDaSyqU

from: William Hughes

On Monday, Oct. 5, 2009, physicians supporting a Single Payer Healthcare system protested outside the White House. Meanwhile, at the Rose Garden, located on the White House grounds, President Barack Obama was hosting a meeting with an estimated 50 doctors. They are supposedly advocates for his “Pubic Option” healthcare reform bill. Only one Single Payer doctor was invited to the Rose Garden session. Sharing their views on this video about this evolving situation are: Dr. Margaret Flowers, Dr. Andy Coates and Dr. Mike Huntington. For background on this matter, check out: http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/46734 and http://www.pnhp.org/

from: William Hughes

On Monday. around noon, Oct. 5, 2009, a spirited antiwar rally was held in front of the White House. Sixty-one protesters were arrested there in a nonviolent “Civil Resistance” action. Here are some sights and scenes from that event. See also: youtube.com

from: William Hughes

On Monday, Oct. 5, 2009, a spirited antiwar rally was held in front of the White House. Sixty-one protesters were arrested in a nonviolent “Civil Resistance” action. Prior to the arrests, I talked with various pro-Peace activists who shared their views on the current situation with respect to the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; the torture issue; closing Gitmo and Bagram prisons; the administration of President Barack Obama; and related Peace and Justice Movement matters.
For an overview of the Nonviolent Resistance Movement, go to: “A Conversation with Phillip Berrigan” by Father John Dear, S.J. at: http://www.fatherjohndear.org/pdfs/berrigan.pdf and to this article on Mahatma Gandhi, at:
http://www.ccsf.edu/Resources/VOICE/instructorslessonplans/individualrights/gandhi/reading.pdf and to this piece on Martin Luther King, Jr., at: http://afroamhistory.about.com/od/martinlutherking/a/mlks_philosophy.htm and http://www.jonahhouse.org/ and
See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l9PEDaSyqU

from: William Hughes

On February 11, 2008, then U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) made a campaign stop at College Park, MD. This was the day before the Democratic presidential primary in Maryland. At this event, Sen. Obama promised a cheering audience at the Comcast Center: “We can go ahead and tell the lobbyists that their days of setting the agenda in Washington are over...They will not run my White House and they will not drown out the voice of the American people when I am President of the United States of America...I’ve put forward a plan that every person in America will be able to get health care as good as the health care as a member of Congress...We will do it by the end of my first term as President of the United States of America.” For background on the Feb. 11, 2008 rally, see: http://baltimore.indymedia.org/newswire/display/16834/index.php and for recent questions about President Obama’s allegedly all-too-cozy relationship with the big insurance companies, check out: http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/healthcare/60879-does-obama-have-a-secret-deal-with-insurance-companies

from: William Hughes

On Wednesday afternoon, September 30, 2009, the “Mad as Hell Doctors” rallied in front of the White House, in Lafayette Park. The group supports a Single Payer Healthcare System. Two of their slogans are: “Everybody In! Nobody Out!” and “Single Payer or Bust!” The doctors have been on a nationwide tour promoting their cause. One of the speakers at the spirited event was Dr. Katherine Ottoway, a family physician. She’s a “mad as hell doctor” from Port Townsend, WA. She related how the current medical system, in a particular case of a heart attack victim who was denied insurance coverage, is destroying the “American Dream. We need single payer, now!” Dr. Margaret Flowers of Baltimore, who helped to organize the rally, also served as the MC for it. For background on Single Payer and the “Mad as Hell Doctors,” check out their web site, at: https://madashelldoctorstour.com/Home_Page.html

from: William Hughes

On Wednesday afternoon, September 30, 2009, the “Mad as Hell Doctors” rallied in front of the White House, in Lafayette Park. The group supports a Single Payer Healthcare System. See, madashelldoctorstour.com

from: William Hughes

On Wednesday afternoon, September 30, 2009, the “Mad as Hell Doctors” rallied in front of the White House, in Lafayette Park. The group supports a Single Payer Healthcare System. Two of their slogans are: “Everybody In! Nobody Out!” and “Single Payer or Bust!” The doctors have been on a nationwide tour promoting their cause: via a huge Care-A-Van; staging many rallies, town hall meetings and giving speeches; canvassing numerous neighborhoods for new advocates; and, often times getting their message out by traveling in a caravan, while proudly displaying their symbolic white ribbon. Their laudable initiative, which sees “healthcare for all” as a moral and social justice issue for all Americans, was launched in Sequim, WA, on Aug. 28th. Dr. Margaret Flowers of Baltimore, who helped to organize the rally, also served as the MC for it. For background, see their web site, at: https://madashelldoctorstour.com/Home_Page.html