War is at best barbarism and its glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, more vengeance, more desolation. War is hell.
– William Tecumseh Sherman
After a long three months of inactivity, Montana Women For is ready for action once more. These have been depressing times, politically, and we need each other now more than ever so please make a special effort to come to the October 11 meeting so that we can kick-start ourselves back into high gear.
We have changed our Website to offer an up-to-the minute, interactive blog. This will not only give you the lastest Montana Women For news, but there will be links to many of the other progressive groups around the country and the state. [Our full links dashboard is in progress.] And you will be able to leave comments and start conversations about where you would like to see us put our energies. The blog includes its own mailing list subscribe/unsubscribe tool, too, making it easier than ever to get on the mailing list for as long as you’d like. After troubles with our previous mailing list software, we look forward to making the transition to this new mailing list tool.
Jon Tester and 21 other Democrats voted against the offensive Kyl/Leiberman amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill in the Senate this week. The resolution began as a thinly veiled attempt to give Bush the authority to use force against Iran for any number of reasons, but was thankfully watered down a bit. However, it does designate the entire Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (the bulk of the Iranian Army) as a foreign terrorist organization, which arguably gives Misters Bush and Cheney the right to attack them as part of the so called War on Terror. We need to talk with Iran, not insult and confront them.
Please call Senator Tester’s office and thank him profusely for his vote. He broke (thankfully) with Senator Baucus on this. He also voted September 28 in support of including attacks on gays and lesbian as part of the hate crimes bill, so he’s definitely been in the right
corner this week and we need show him our appreciation. The US Senate phone number is (202) 224-3121.
President Bush has vowed to veto the CHIP re-authorization bill that passed last week. Please flood the White House with letters and phone calls protesting this attempt at denying working class and lower middle class children the health insurance they so need. Call Max Baucus and thank him for his support of CHIP: (202) 224-3121.
Community Health Partners started its next Mindfulness-Based Wellness Program with an orientation on Thursday. September 27th at 1 PM. The first class will be held on October 4 at !pm. Classes will take place in the Coleman Room and last about 2 hours. The fee is $5 for CHP clients and $10 for non-clients per session. This daytime class was specifically arranged to meet the needs of those patients with chronic pain and other chronic illness who have a hard time with evening classes.
United For Peace and Justice, which MWF is a member of, is arranging demonstrations against the war in Iraq all around the country on October 27th. The two big ones nearest us will be held in Seattle and Salt Lake City. Buses will be leaving from the University of Montana for Seattle on the 26th. Time and place TBA. Please go to unitedforpeace.org for more information.
There is much that we can do to make a difference and ameliorate this national depression. Join us.
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Until we have the new mailing list system available, please continue to use the links included in our emails for mailing list subscriptions.
