Impeachment Proclamation Press Release Day One Nov. 23
Laurie Dobson, US Senate Candidate for Maine, began a hunger strike and consumer boycott to call attention to the lack of action by the candidates for national offices in the State of Maine to call for impeachment. She also calls for these candidates to demand that Maine's House Representative Tom Allen, who is vying for the US Senate seat currently held by Susan Collins, sign onto an impeachment resolution.
"Today begins my fervent focus on bringing the case of impeachment home to those candidates in my state of Maine, by this act of deprivation. STARTING TODAY, I AM BEGINNING A HUNGER STRIKE FOR IMPEACHMENT. If I can sacrifice my comfort level and daily bread then these other candidates can show their own leadership by taking a public stand on impeachment of the criminals who are running this country and stop them from continuing to blow up the world.
"the price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men." She said that the candidates must not be enablers of the rule of criminals by sitting on the fence on impeachment:"You must end your silent collusion with this abomination of an administration. I hold you responsible as would-be leaders, to stand with me and call for the removal of this Administration by public support of HR 333."Furthermore, I call upon you to demand that Tom Allen, Candidate for the US Senate, whose current seat in the US House of Representatives is one which you intend to occupy, must stand also for impeachment, by signing now onto HR 333.
"If one of you will stand with me on impeachment, AND call for Tom Allen to do the same, then I will end my hunger strike. This is your call to action as you embark on this most critical campaign for election '08. Stand with me and do the right thing. Call for impeachment. Call for it unequivocally by demanding a stand from Tom Allen. Call for it now.
"Be worthy of your desired office."
Dobson asked for the prayers and support of the community and people of Maine as she undertakes this strike for impeachment.
Submitted by Laurie Dobson for US Senate Campaign
PO Box 7098 Cape Porpoise, ME 04014
http://lauriedobson.blogspot.com
to send email, go to lauriedobson.com and post a comment
Impeachment Proclamation Post, Day One Nov. 23
Impeachment Boycott Resources
Hope you have been able to enjoy your family on Thanksgiving.
Pat and Amy here with an aside to impeachment.
For 3 years Pledge to Impeach's plan has always been a national strike and boycott coupled with an impeachment demand. However, the thousands of "seed Pledge" participants must grow before a "call in the Pledges" can be announced, a C-Span press conference given to invite all U.S. residents participation, and negotiations with Congress begun.
There have arisen other groups promoting a strike or a boycott. IMO, they lack the comprehensive method to tie their actions to an impeachment demand. Neverthess, they are good "practice" and are freeing for those who participate (getting one out of their "box," whether that be their Job or their Spending Habits).
So apropo to the "biggest shopping day in the U.S."--Friday after Thanksgiving--consider sharing the below 3 thought-provoking ideas with others. Yes, I know that today is too late to change peoples' holiday shopping plans. But the comprehensive *impeachment* boycott will not be--if we ever call it--a mere one day of "not shopping," nor will it be announced in advance and without a demand.
I also know that you very likely have already heard of some group or another's plans or
discussions re boycotting holiday shopping. Nevertheless, perhaps someone you know hasn't
and--'though they may not change their plans if they involve shopping Nov. 23--forwarding this
email to them might be "food for thought" towards the day when Americans actually organize to hit the economy (strike & boycott) in a Big Way towards a measurable demand (such as the House passing the current bill to impeach). It's also possible that someone will receive this email and rethink *where* they shop (support locally-owned independent businesses over chain stores!) and how to be conscious when shopping (where was such-and-so item made? Is it sweatshop-free & fair trade? How does it impact the environment?). Check out Co-op America's http://www.responsibleshopper.org
1. BUY NOTHING DAY
Ad Busters (started by a Canadian in 1992) suggests no shopping on Nov. 23 this year. Their
30-second for-pay ad was barred from ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and MTV.
Three 3 activist ideas for any heavy shopping day:
http://adbusters.org/metas/eco/bnd/
Founder Kalle Lasn being interviewed (along w. the 30-sec. ad) on CNN:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8uZEjAsR94&feature=PlayList&p=B6479E8E44048E78&index=2
International "Buy Nothing Christmas":
http://adbusters.org/metas/eco/bnd/bnxmas/
2. THE CHURCH OF STOP SHOPPING
Reverend Billy (Bill Talen) and his Stop Shopping Gospel Choir have progressed from street theatre to a feature-length documentary by produced by Morgan Spurlock & directed by Rob VanAlkemade called "What Would Jesus Buy?"
http://www.wwjbmovie.com/
Reverend Billy, whose spiritual message is to "put the Odd back in God," and the Gospel Choir have always preached the evils of consumerism. This Christmas the good Reverend is saving Christmas from the Shopocolypse--the end of humankind from consumerism, over-consumption and the fires of eternal debt.
"What Would Jesus Buy?" according to Wikipedia:
"The film focuses on the issues of the commercialization of Christmas, materialism, the over-consumption in American culture, globalization, and the business practices of large corporations, as well as their economic and cultural effects on American society..."
Specifically it also addresses the role sweatshops play in America's mass consumerism. The film
chronicles a journey, complete with retail interventions at the Mall of America to the Promised
Land (Disney) on Christmas Day.
In an interview (http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/11/21/1520253), Reverend Billy explains that his mission includes
"...exorcising the demon monoculture out of (the) cash
register. You've got a billionaire at the top of (corporations) and impoverished (workers') families at the bottom. We just ask that some of those dollars start blowing in the other direction. (Black Friday is) the high holy moment of our theological calendar. This year, especially, with the world at war and the climate crisis, our neighborhoods and families in trouble, this year, it really needs to be a different kind of Christmas. (Disneyland open on Christmas and Wal-Mart open on Thanksgiving) are taking over the time that we should be thinking
about what life is."
Even though we may be "hypnotized and consumerized," we still have a chance to save ourselves this Christmas!
Here's a 6-min. interview with the director, Rob Van Alkemade:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2703586485696967640&q=what+would+jesus+buy+thoughtquotient&total=2&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=1
3. WE AREN'T BUYING IT BOYCOTT
Lew Brown organized a nationwide boycott in 2007 from tax day through Earth Day. Tomorrow, Friday, November 23rd, 2007 is the beginning of another boycott. Lew says, let's "put our money where our hearts are and take action every day to erode the base of support for the policies that appall us... drawing down our economic activity to the point where there will be no more 'business as usual."
Ideas from some activists:
Signs if you are demonstrating in proximity of a mall:
--Homo accumulatus
--Give the Gift of Time, Not Money
--If You Must Buy, Please Buy Local
Give out free presents! (no wrapping paper, please--recycled paper instead).
"Want to create lasting family traditions this holiday without all the pointless shopping, killing
trees, or creating piles of trash?
Try Festivus!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festivus"
Gather together for these party ideas:
A Festivus Pole in lieu of a Christmas tree
"Airing of Grievances"
"Feats of Strength"
not about the stuff.
Join the Christmas Resistance Movement! Together, we boycott Christmas Shopping, Christmas
decorations, Christmas cards, and every variety of Christmas Crap. (Even crucifixes are made in
sweatshops during this era of globalization... See
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/11/21/1520248&mode=thread&tid=25
and
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/11/20/national/a161601S73.DTL&feed=rss.news)
Visit http://www.wearenotbuyingit.org for more info.
Join our completely non-corporate social network at http://www.wearenotbuyingit.ning.org to share information about how you are working personally to organize in your community.
"Are you prepared to REALLY strike a blow for freedom and aim at the heart of corporate control?
Do Not Participate!
To paraphrase Einstein you cannot simultaneously change a corrupt system while at the same time perpetuating it. Every time we buy a product or service that profits a corporate shareholder we tighten the chains that bind us to the machine. By striking back through non-participation we weaken those chains and make it more and more difficult for those who hold the reigns of power to maintain their control.Christmas is the key.
We all know that the Christmas season has come to mean not charity and goodwill towards all humanity, but rather a media fueled corporate feeding frenzy where our good intentions are exploited to make the rich and powerful even richer and more powerful. In everything you do spread the wealth and the benefit to those who truly need it and starve the system in any way you can.
We tried this already earlier this year, and it worked.
Bear in mind that 2/3 of the economy is based on consumer spending and any effect we have that slows the constant expansion of economic indicators, or better yet reverses that decades long trend even for a short time, will be seen as a serious threat.
By the time the Christmas shopping season arrives we should be able, by working together and spreading the word, to garner a significant number of people willing to participate in an Old Fashioned Christmas. Together we may be able to do something marvelous, something magnificent and even magical. Together we may truly be capable of unleashing the power of the true spirit of Christmas across the world. A spirit of love and peace, charity and goodwill that can sweep aside the darkness and fill our hearts and communities with light and joy."
--
Check out http://www.PledgeToImpeach.ORG
Why impeach? Lying, Spying, Torture.
In lieu of Truth, Freedom, Justice.
Impeachment is mandated in the Constitution.
It's the only RIGHT thing to do. We need:
(1) To draw the line for future USA administrations,
(2) To show the WORLD our government is not above the law,
(3) Investigations to reveal Truths to inform the public so we can regain our democracy.
IMPEACHMENT PROCLAMATION
NOTICE TO ALL MAINE CANDIDATES FOR NATIONAL OFFICE:
I will forswear products bought for consumption or ingested as food
beginning today, AKA: A HUNGER STRIKE FOR IMPEACHMENT, to show solidarity with all those others who are taking a stand on impeachment.
Furthermore, on your behalf and in your names, I will not purchase store bought goods or consume food until I receive word that one of you stands with me on impeachment AND on calling for Tom Allen to sign onto HR 333 for impeachment of Vice President Cheney for his crimes.
I take this pledge with full knowledge and deliberate intent to force you to make a conscious choice and to take a stand visible to the citizens of Maine that you will not stand for any more crimes from this Administration.
Further, I call on all those others who receive this message to pass it along to all you can, to show solidarity with this impeachment support cause and to urge those running for national office in Maine to join my fight for impeachment by taking a definitive stand and publicly calling on Tom Allen to do the same and to sign the resolution.
I will post daily briefings on my blog:
http://lauriedobson.blogspot.com
signed,
Laurie Dobson
US Senate Candidate
Kennebunkport, Maine
Nov. 23, 2007
Friday, 12:40 am
Candidates currently declared for US office:
Dobson, Allen, Collins: Senate
Pingree, Lawrence, Brennan, Cote, Strimling, Duson, Frary, Throumoulos, Summers, Michaud: Congress
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