CONTENTS:
PHILLY & PA ACTION:

Protest the Bush Agenda of War & Militarism, of "Staying The Course" of Death and Occupation
Is Reality whatever the Daily News says it is?
Action Plan for the Minimum Wage Campaign
"Rights on the Line" Philadelphia premiere
Oppose Risky Philly Energy Plan
Philadelphia Area Black Radical Congress invites YOU to a Pre-Kwanzaa Celebration
Peace Event scheduled outside Senator Specter's home Sunday Dec 18th at 2PM
Tell Newspapers & Sen. Santorum: Seniors Won't be Fooled by Misleading Ads
WHYY, THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS AND THE COMMITTEE OF SEVENTY LAUNCH "THE NEXT MAYOR" PROJECT
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NATIONAL ACTION:
Help Support Impoverished Families! Purchase beautiful gifts from Palestine!
Quick vote about the war on CNN NOW! GO THERE!
Don't Evict Victims of Domestic Violence
NARAL Pro-Choice America - GET YOUR FRIENDS TO SIGN THE STOP ALITO PETITION: Less than ONE WEEK LEFT!
Heat regulation to prevent heat deaths expires Dec. 21- United Farm Workers
Torture:  What are the U.S. Obligations to Prevent? - FCNL
On-line Journal from Damascus /War News Radio Perspective on Iraq
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COMMENTARY;
* Letter from Sharon Olds to Laura Bush
* Jury Acquits Jailed Palestinian Professor of Several Charges in Major Blow to Bush Administration
* Thirty Years After the Indonesian Invasion of East Timor, Will the U.S. Be Held Accountable for its Role in the Slaughter?
* Extraordinary Rendition Under Fire: Lawsuit Charges CIA with Kidnapping and Torture of German Citizen *
* For God and Country: Faith and Patriotism Under Fire by James Yee
* WHY MANY BLACKS OPPOSE TOOKIE'S CLEMENCY, Earl Ofari Hutchinson, Pacific News Service
* LIBERALISM'S BRAIN ON DRUGS, Ryan Grim, In These Times
* So what About Wal-Mart, Why Not Just subsidize its low-paid workers through Medicaid ?
* CONGRESS PASSES BILL ESTABLISHING WILDERNESS AREA IN THE CARIBBEAN NATIONAL FOREST IN PUERTO RICO
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Sad News8

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PHILLY & PA ACTION:

Protest the Bush Agenda of War & Militarism, of "Staying The Course" of Death and Occupation


George Bush is Coming to Phila.on Monday (December 12) to speak to the Phila. World Affairs Council at the Phila.
Marriott Hotel, 1201 Market Street. His words of war will not be the only Ones heard on Monday in Philadelphia.
        Gather at Noon on the west side of Phila. City Hall, 15th &Market Sts. for a reading of the names of war dead - Iraqi   and U.S. -and voices of war resistance and justice. - Philadelphia Anti-War Forum" <pawf@critpath.org>
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 Is reality real, or is it whatever the Daily News says it is-  From:Stanley Shapiro shapsj@comcast.net

Hi folks,    At our One Philly meeting last week we talked about the need to get our case out that Councilman Nutter's bill to cut and then eliminate the Business Privilege tax is a threat to every Philadelphian. We asked many of you to list the services that you may know of that have already been cut, or that are important to you that may be cut. Once we get this information, we plan to hold a press conference to get it out. I have gotten a few responses but we need many more. Please send any information, even impressions you have, to me at the above email address.

 So now, according to the Daily  News , it is time to leave your worries behind regarding such things as underfunded pension funds, thousands of possible winter heat shutoffs, soaring property taxes. And all the other services that will surely be eliminated or sharply cut when we take the BPT's $350 million out of future City budgets.

The Council vote on this year's bill to first cut and then wipe out the tax will occur soon. We need to put on the record the damage that has been and will be done to health, police, fire, libraries, homeless care and other vital city programs if Nutter's bill goes through. Please send me whatever you can and indicate your willingness to be part of a press conference to get this real news out.

And come to our next meeting, Monday, December 12 from 12-2, to help plan our future response to the all out propaganda campaign that has been launched against the idea of government in Philadelphia.
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Action Plan for the Minimum Wage Campaign

New radio ads in Altoona, PA for Senator Jubilier (Senate President ProTem)
calling for him to schedule a vote on Minimum Wage.

Senator Brightbill (Majority Leader) has stated that he will not bring the minimum wage up for a vote and that few if any minimum wage workers live in his district.

Thus, the Coaltion decided to travel to Lebanon, PA on Tuesday, Dec. 13 and hold a press conference at Brightbill's office to release a study from the Keystone Research Center that shows up to 10,000 of his constituents would benefit from an increase in the minimum wage to $7.15.  We will go on from there to Harrisburg to lobby the Senate and hold a press conference announcing the numbers of  workers by county that would benefit from a minimum wage increase.  We need your participation.  Please contact us by return email or call 215-557-0822 if you can take part in the December 13 events.  Cars will leave from 1201 Chestnut St at 7 :45AM.

We will also start running radio ads in Brightbill's district on the need to raise the minimum wage.

We agreed to work to promote "Living Wage Days" during the Matin Luther King Holiday weekend and holiday January 14-16, 2006.  This is an effort led by  Let Justice Roll, an ecumenical group,  to raise the issue of decent wages and income and a higher minimum wage in religious services and MLK programs during the holiday.  Thier web page for more information is
http://www.letjusticeroll.org/.
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"Rights on the Line" Philadelphia premiere! -- 14 DE DICIEMBRE: "Derechos en la frontera"

        Wednesday, December 14, 2005  6:00-8:00 PM
        Friends Center - 1501 Cherry Street
Please join: American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania,,American Friends Service Committee - Project Voice
andPennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition
        Followed by a panel discussion on local and national anti-immigrant attacks.
The film (
http://www.afsc.org/immigrants-rights/RightsOnTheLineCRUAFSC) tells the story of anti-immigrant attacks and policies at the US-Mexico border from the point of view of those most directly affected, and reveals the underlying motivations of the "Minuteman Project" vigilantes.  For more information (215) 241-7124
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Oppose Risky Philly Energy Plan

Oppose PGW's dangerous plans to build a dangerous liquefied natural gas (LNG) import facility in Northeast Philadelphia.  If constructed, ships carrying this volatile fuel up the Delaware River would pose a grave risk to our communities.  Studies have shown that an accident on one of these vessels could injure people up to a mile away, potentially affecting neighborhoods from South Philly and Bella Vista to Northern Liberties and Bridesburg. If you haven't contacted Mayor Street and our at-large city council members yet, please take a moment to do so.  Then ask your family and friends to get involved by forwarding this email to them.
Take action:
http://www.pennenvironment.org/PE.asp?id=268&id4=ES
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The Philadelphia Area Black Radical Congress invites YOU to a Pre-Kwanzaa Celebration

        THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15TH, 2005, 6:30P.M.
        FRIENDS CENTER 1501 CHERRY STREET
Education Not Incarceration Not Militarism - Let Us Reflect:  Looking At The Past, Looking Toward The Future
Update On Darfur / Update On Haiti/ Update On Mumia Abu Jamal/ Update On Philadelphia Schools
 Entertainment, Refreshments will be served, Bring Something To Share, Information: 215-848-1806
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Peace Event scheduled outside Senator Specter's home Sunday Dec 18th at 2PM

        Senator Arlen Specter's home will be the focal point of a Winter Solstice Peace Event at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 18, sponsored by several peace organizations which belong to the Philadelphia Regional Anti-War Network (PRAWN).  "He's way overdue on speaking out on this war," said Celeste Zappala, a Mount Airy resident who lost a son in Iraq and who is a member of Military Families Speak Out. "If Cindy Sheehan could go all the way to Texas to Bush's ranch, we can certainly go a few blocks to Senator Specter's house," said Chris Robinson, a member of the Northwest Peace and Justice Movement.

        Corner of Timber Lane and Schoolhouse Lane in East Falls. (Specter lives at 4111 Timber Lane).
The Winter Solstice Peace Event at Specter's home on December 18 has been endorsed by the Green Party of Philadelphia, Northwest Peace Coalition, Northwest Peace and Justice Movement, Peace Action of Delaware Valley, Philadelphia War Resisters League, PRAWN (the Philadelphia Regional Anti-War Network), and Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF).
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Meanwhile, Specter's office in the Federal Building, 6th and Market Streets in Center City, was targeted by the Philadelphia Affinity Group on December 7 to ask him to  initiate and sponsor legislation in the Senate to allow Pentagon funds in Iraq to be used only for the safe and orderly withdrawal of U.S. troops. Such legislation -- H.R. 4232 "The End the War in Iraq Act of 2005" -- has already been introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman James McGovern (D-MA).
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Tell Newspapers & Sen. Santorum: Seniors Won't be Fooled by Misleading Ads

Recently, a shadowy group called Americans for Job Security has been airing blatantly false television ads pertaining to Rick Santorum (R - PA) and Social Security.  Don't let Senator Santorum and this group get away with these lies. Call the local television stations that are airing these falsehoods and tell them that the controversial ads distort Santorum's Social Security objectives. In just the past two weeks, Santorum has been on the Senate floor in Washington trying to enact his latest privatization scheme that would take the funds reserved for the baby boomers' Social Security and privatize it.
Please use this link to get in touch with your local stations:
http://www.tvradioworld.com/region1/pa/

Also, call Senator Santorum's office directly and say that you know these ads are false and the Senator is a career privatizer. The Senator's local office phone numbers within Pennsylvania are:

Pittsburgh: 412-562-0533/ Philadelphia: 215-864-6900/ Harrisburg: 717-231-7540/ Scranton: 570-344-8799
Erie: 814-454-7114/ Allentown: 610-770-0142 /Altoona: 814-946-7023 /Coudersport: 814-274-9773
        If you have any questions about this message, please contact David Blank of the Alliance for Retired Americans  Department of Government and Political Affairs at dblank@retiredamericans.org .
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WHYY, THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS AND THE COMMITTEE OF SEVENTY LAUNCH "THE NEXT MAYOR" PROJECT

"Project will help local residents understand and participate in 2007 mayoral campaign"
        The two media forces have launched THE NEXT MAYOR, an innovative, two-year, multi-media partnership. In print, on the radio, on television, on the Internet and in the community the two news operations will focus on the issues - not just the personalities - leading to the 2007 mayor's race. These two award-winning, news agencies are joined in this groundbreaking initiative by The Committee of Seventy, Philadelphia's better government advocacy group.
        Information please visit Seventy's website Web: www.seventy.org//  Email: amahlum@seventy.org

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NATIONAL ACTION:


 Help Support Impoverished Families! Purchase beautiful gifts from Palestine!


Dear Friends,   As you know the Israeli occupation army shuts down Beitlehm and many other Palestinian cities for the Christmas holidays and puts more restrictions on the movement of humans, donkeys and goods.  This means that we cannot get goods out of Palestine after December 15th, 2005 and all orders will have to wait till after the holidays.   If you wish to buy cases of olive oil, honey, olive oil soap from Palestine please do that as soon as possible. Also, if you wish to buy arts and crafts, single orders of olive oil or soap, embroidery, please do that soon as we will not able to ship anywhere in the United States or Europe due to the restrictions of time and deadlines imposed by the United States Postal Services.
            We would greatly appreciate your support by placing your order this week so we can ship it to you as soon as possible and your help by forwarding our link
http://www.pcwf.org    to your family, friends and colleagues will be deeply appreciated.
 Looking forward to hearing from you and thanks again for your patience and support.

Salamat,
Riad Hamad
http://www.pcwf.org , http://www.paypalestine.com, Palestine Children's Welfare Fund. 201 W. Stassney # 201, Austin, Texas 78745 Click to buy Palestinian arts and crafts online, sponsor a Palestinian child ,buy a flag or a kufiya, donate a book to teach one or plant an olive/ orange tree in Palestine to honor a loved one
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Quick vote about the war on CNN NOW! GO THERE!   Do you agree with Howard Dean that the Iraq war cannot be won? Vote now:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/12/06/dean.iraq/index.html 
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Don't Evict Victims of Domestic Violence/ WOMAN ORDERED EVICTED FROM APARTMENT AFTER BEING SHOT

A North Carolina woman has a new problem, after surviving six gunshot wounds and a jump from her second-story balcony to escape the man trying to kill her.  Now, she's being evicted from her apartment. Nationwide, victims of domestic violence and stalking are being evicted from their apartments for screaming for help, for calling the police, or simply for being the victims of crime. Why? Because instead of holding the offenders accountable, the landlords consider the victims to be the "problem tenant."
        Sections 606 and 607 of the Violence Against Women Act protect victims from being evicted due to crimes committed against them. These provisions were included in the Senate version of VAWA (S. 1197) that passed unanimously in October. However, the House bill (S. 3402) did not include any housing provisions.
        The House Financial Services Committee must now decide if they will agree to allow Sections 606 and 607 to be included in the final version of VAWA. They will be making this decision the week 12/5.
        Members of the House Financial Services Committee must hear from you now or these desperately need protections will be stripped from VAWA!! Please call your Representatives plus the following members:
        Michael G. Oxley (R-4th-OH) Chairman (p) 202.225.2676
        Sue W. Kelly (R-19th-NY) Vice Chairwoman (p) 202.225.5441
        Barney Frank (D-4th-MA) Ranking Member (p) 202.225.5931
Tell them:
*Your name and the city and state you are calling from. "Victims of domestic violence should not be evicted due to the crimes committed against them. Please ensure that Sections 606 and 607 remain in the Violence Against Women Act." *Tell them why it is important to you and your community that these protections stay in VAWA. Share with them any stories or information you may have regarding these issues.  *"Thank you for helping to protect victims of domestic violence from unfair evictions."
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NARAL Pro-Choice America - GET YOUR FRIENDS TO SIGN THE STOP ALITO PETITION: Less than ONE WEEK LEFT!
http://prochoiceaction.org/campaign/sen_scotus_alito_103105/forward/w878kbsrh5immwd?

Here's what it comes down to: New evidence shows that Alito devised legal strategies to dismantle and eventually
overturn Roe v. Wade. He has even written that "the Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion."
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Heat regulation to prevent heat deaths expires Dec. 21: Send your email today! From: United Farm Workers

Thousands of you helped us prevent further tragedies in the fields when six Central Valley farm workers died due to extreme heat last summer. Four of these needless deaths came during a three-week period this past July. Some deaths occurred after growers or farm labor contractors ordered work speed ups when temperatures soared above 100 degrees. The United Farm Workers asked Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to issue an emergency regulation to prevent future tragedies. With your help, California government stepped up to the plate and issued the first temporary emergency heat regulation in the nation.
Please tell the state to act once again. We do not want to endure another summer of carnage in California agriculture.
        Go to:
http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/heatregs1205/5gggws447w6d53?
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Torture:  What are the U.S. Obligations to Prevent? - FCNL

The public outcry against torture is strengthening the hand of those within the U.S. government who oppose torture and want to prohibit its use. We want to encourage all our FCNL constituents to back them up with informed comment and with encouragement to sustain government advocates of a world free from the threat of torture.
Read more about these issues at
http://www.fcnl.org/issues/issue.php?issue_id=67
The Next Step for Iraq: Join FCNL's Iraq Campaign, http://www.fcnl.org/iraq/
Contact Congress and the Administration: http://capwiz.com/fconl/dbq/officials/
Subscribe to other FCNL legislative, policy, and action alert lists:  http://www.fcnl.org/forms/forms.php?type=ls.
Order FCNL publications and "War is Not the Answer" campaign bumper stickers and yard signs:
http://www.fcnl.org/pubs/
        * Friends Committee on National Legislation/ fcnl@fcnl.org * http://www.fcnl.org/ phone:* toll-free: (800)630-1330
        We seek a world free of war and the threat of war/ We seek a society with equity and justice for all/ We seek a         community where every person's potential may be fulfilled/ We seek an earth restored.
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On-line Journal from Damascus /War News Radio Perspective on Iraq

Three Swarthmore students are studying Arabic at the University of Damascus  this semester under the auspices of the College's Semester Abroad Program. One  of them, Emily Robbins '07, is writing an on-line journal about her  experience.
Read her blog at
http://www.swarthmore.edu/news/syria/index.html

War News Radio Providing Unique Perspective on Iraq Conflict Nearing the 1-year anniversary of its founding, Swarthmore's student-produced War News Radio is providing its unique perspective on the war in Iraq with  ever-higher professional standards and a growing Internet audience. Broadcasting  weekly under the direction of NPR veteran Marty Goldensohn, the student journalists were featured in a recent Chronicle of Higher Education story.
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COMMENTARY:

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Sad news


The Supreme Court has ruled there cannot be a Nativity Scene in DC this Christmas season. This isn't for any religious reason, they simply have not been able to find three wise men and
a virgin in the Nation's capitol.

There was no problem however, finding enough asses to fill the stable.

.. Deborah Zubow, PCCY Child Healthwatch Helpline
Democracy isn't something you do every four years at the polls. The life of democracy depends on critical thinking and active participants in and outside of the political process, willing to organize and join democracy-building movements in between election cycles.   .....I say vote and organize or die. If you just vote, the death of democracy isn't far behind.