Stand In Silence, Together - During the Entire Bush State-of-the-Union address

[understandinglife]

The request I ask you to make is simple:

Ask Every Senator and Representative Stand in Silence, Together, from the moment Bush enters until after he departs his 2007 SOTU.

Similarly, I request that every American citizen Stand in Silence, Together for the duration of SOTU 2007.

The request is made to indicate to all those whom have died needlessly since March, 2003, that they are more than remembered, they are honored and mourned, collectively, by America.

The request is made to indicate to all those whom have been maimed needlessly since March, 2003, that they are more than remembered, they are honored and informed by America that they will receive priority care.

The request is made to indicate to all those families who have suffered the extraordinary pain of the loss or of the harm of one whom they love that America will strive to comfort them, meaningfully, and, most importantly will commit to never again causing needless loss and suffering to the parents and the children and the relatives of those who honorably serve.

The request is made to indicate to the entire world that “We the People …” have the courage to apologize to humanity for the colossal crimes of Bush, Cheney and their neoconster minions and corporate enablers.

The request is made to provide each of us a moment of collective focus on what we now must do to rectify and prevent any future action by Our Government even remotely comparable to the horrors of the past six years.

It Is Our Responsibility, my fellow Americans, and by Standing in Silence, Together during SOTU’07 we can reinstate our solidarity of conscience and set a precedence for what the message that must be passed from generation to generation in order for America to be all that its founding vision, and all that those whom have dedicated their lives, will emerge from the darkness Bush has cast, and persist in the light of truth and lawful conduct.

Thank you,
Bob

[bleever]

1. Honored to supply the fifth recommendation.

2007 is going to be a pivotal year in American history.

"...we can reinstate our solidarity of conscience and set a precedence for what the message that must be passed from generation to generation in order for America to be all that its founding vision, and all that those whom have dedicated their lives, will emerge from the darkness Bush has cast, and persist in the light of truth and lawful conduct."

Well said.

:patriot:

[understandinglife]

14. Thank you.

:hi:


BE THE BU$H OPPOSITION - 24/7

[peacetalksforall]

2. Beautiful gesture of tribute. Beautifully stated. However, it would be nearly

impossible to get our leaders to agree because of the backlash and pounding it would get for months with accusations of not working together as promised. Aided by the media.

Possibly ...

One way it can work is to get our leaders to be in attendance early and stand while everyone is entering the room and do it for x amount of time. Instead of the ususal pre-buzz noise in the room, small talk, and handshaking - ask our leaders to do it together without fanfare. Perhaps a minimum of words in an announcement.

The right wing media might not cover it and in fact may bury it. C-Span will be there. Mere citizens can broadcast it from there.

[MindPilot]

3. I would be happy if they would just forgo the usual

fawning applause and standing O at every other word.

[bdamomma]

4. Remember how the other side of aisle reacted last year, hooting

and howling about this stupid man who they called pResident, I wonder if they will do it again this year, the Dems will think they are nuts, which they are. I don't think the Dems will buy his rhetoric.

How does the SOTU usually start, the state of union is strong and robust, yea, tell the Middle Class that.

[MonkeyFunk]

5. The speech usually goes over an hour

I don't think Sen. Byrd would make it.

Plus, the SOTU is not the proper occasion for partisan political protests, and most Americans would react badly to it.

[mod mom]

6. Not political, but against an unelected tyrant who has grabbed unpresedented

powers for him and his cronies.

I say YEAH!

[puebloknot]

19. That's so December 1999!

We're supposed to go along with tradition in this, the Fascists States of America?

I *want* to see Americans reacting badly, very badly ... to the crimes of this administration. Anything to get Americans to *react* would be refreshing!

[MonkeyFunk]

20. The bad American

reaction you seek would NOT be against Bush - it would be against the Democrats who turned the SOTU into a partisan protest.

It's a childish gesture. May as well just shoot spitballs at him and chant "Poopy-head! Poopy-head!"

Believe it or not, these are not the worst times in America, and in those worst times, our Congress did not behave like a bunch of 3rd graders.

[TlalocW]

7. You know that won't work

If every democratic house rep and senator did that, Lieberman would not only be leading the standing ovations for his boyfriend, he would be standing on his chair moving his arm like Arsenio Hall while yelling, "Woof woof woof woof!"

TlalocW

[bobbolink]

8. And he wouldn't be alone. Other wimp Dems would be right with him.

:mad:

[Gregorian]

9. Bush isn't up for reelection. (As much as I agree with you)

We asked for this nearly four years ago.

I am totally for this, however...

As I sit here thinking of what would result, I see the fuel of O'Reilly's fire being stoked.

It's not worth it. And I don't mean from "Oh the country is divided". The country is divided, and I don't want anything the other side has. Let it be forever divided. But it's not healthy. And I would love for the nightmare to end.

I see the answer in media ownership. Not protestation.

I am now of the mind that Republicans only regurgitate what they're told to do. Being that so many Americans get their information, after they get home from work, on the television, without honest media Americans don't have a clue. And that is what has to change.

Change the man behind the curtain.

[ktlyon]

23. I'm with you

It has been the freedom of the internet and the advent of talk radio that has gotten us this far against the money-ed monopoly of media. Speak the truth and hopefully someone will listen

[mzmolly]

10. We have to make it apparent that BUSH is the person who refuses to

reach out/compromise/listen to common sense. If we "stand in silence" it will appear as though Democrats are the reason Bush is unreasonable.

[Freddie Stubbs]

11. Do you really think that even one member of Congress would do this?

:shrug:

[monmouth]

12. Why not remain seated??? Absolutely no applause.....

[Freddie Stubbs]

13. Because Bush will say things which they agree with

They are applauding what is being said, not who is saying it.

[ellisonz]

24. More importantly it is decorum...

The Golden Rule applies as always.

This is still the United States of America.

[vickitulsa]

15. Interesting idea, but I believe a deafening silence will be effective

all by itself as an alternative. And I think that IS likely to happen!

Our Congresspersons are not likely to actually stand in silence throughout the address, fearing such a protest would be considered undignified and disgraceful in light of the purported stateliness of this major annual address by the POTUS.

But I agree with those who advocated in this thread that Reps and Senators who attend simply refrain from the ridiculous rounds of applause and standing ovations that have greeted this faux pResident's SOTU speeches in the past.

I actually do expect this dearth of applause to be the way of it and to stand out clearly by contrast to previous speeches of Dubya's.

After all, what can he possibly offer up as GOOD news about the state of our union? Anything he says that is rosy bright will be a lie -- and the public will know it. So will the "commentators" from the media who will be covering it.

Think how much has changed for the worse for the dimson since his last SOTU speech, too. I have to think he can't really be looking forward to this. He only wants to speak to "captive" (mostly military) crowds these days, right?

And remember, he has previously made at least two major factual blunders in SOTU speeches!

http://hnn.us/articles/3116.html

He's liable to do the same next time ... so why applaud?

Even if some of the Repugs in attendance do try to applaud his statements, surely most Dems and quite a few other Repugs will NOT want to be seen clapping to what this maniac says?

I'm hoping this is how it turns out, and I don't think I'll be disappointed. Lukewarm applause at best, and no lengthy stretches of clapping or standing O's that interrupt the Chimp so he can smirk and wait and look good. If he tries to do that whenever there's a thin smattering of applause, it will be oh-so obvious to everyone.

I say, let him get up there and make a fool of himself, trying to tell us how great everything is for Americans when MOST of us know damn well that just ain't the case! He'll simply look like the liar and idiot that he is.

NO APPLAUSE! A deafening silence! THAT will make a great statement for us all....

[understandinglife]

16. To stand, in silence, in honor of ALL those whom have DIED, NEEDLESSLY ...

... is the barest of minimum that any of these warm, well-dressed, well-feed folk can do.

Just think of how many have stood, for hours, guarding some check-point at the 'green zone' ... protecting the corrupt and ultra-wealthy ....

I appreciate your comments, but I'm disgusted by how simple and trivial it would be for these folk - OUR REPRESENTATIVES - to get off their butts, actually, and suffer the discomfort of STANDING IN SILENCE, TOGETHER to indicate to one of histories most criminal of tyrants that they do not condone his criminality.

Just how hard is that ... I'll be standing, with my wife, silently, during the entire interval that criminal tyrant is spewing his lies and arrogance ... count on it.


Peace.

[vickitulsa]

17. I don't disagree with your request at all, UL.

In fact, I really wish we could see those well-dressed, well-fed folk doing exactly what you asked during the SOTU speech. It's just that I don't think they would dream of actually doing it, and I'm hoping for a telling silence from them at the very least.

I forgot to say, though, that even if our Congress members don't do this, all the rest of us who are able certainly should do it!

We regular citizens don't have any great history of statesmanlike behavior in a formal venue that we have to live up to, and we definitely could get some attention if a great many of us do what you request! People around us would ASK us what we're doing and give us the chance to explain.

Emphasizing to others that it's our concern for all those who've died needlessly due to this immoral war that we're demonstrating is very important.

Sadly, I can't do it myself because I'm disabled and can't stand for more than a few minutes at best in any circumstances. I'm pretty much a shut-in, in fact, so no one would observe me if I did stand through Dumbya's speech!

I mourn deeply for the DOWs very often in my heart, though, and I'm a longtime staunch friend and supporter of veterans and active duty military people. (Dead Of War is a real designation that includes many others not considered "KIA")

I'll be paying attention to see if word of your request spreads and garners some takers, UL, and hoping it makes some news, for sure. I DO WISH YOU WELL ON THIS EFFORT!

One last thing: I have been having this feeling that if that madman announces his plans to send more troops into his war during the SOTU, the many Americans who are so angry at him already over that endless killing factory will stand up and raise a great noise in protest! I know we've been disappointed in them before, but man, people ARE ANGRY! I hear it almost every day from someone....

[puebloknot]

22. I see Gandhi is visiting! :)

[understandinglife]

26. Thank you for your thoughtful, empathetic ressponse

:toast: to you.

Peace,
Bob

[puebloknot]

21. This is one of those silly ideas of the sort that...

...Dennis Kucinich has suggested. That silly man thinks we should stop paying for this war and fund health care, instead.

And you, UL, are one of those warped idealists! (Know anything about cloning?)

I'm lighting a candle, to burn the whole time the SOTU is going on. I'm going to be thinking about all the people I don't know who have died needlessly in Iraq. I'm going to be thinking about all the young people I do know who are ripe for the picking in the next phase of this madness. Jen and I are going to be thinking about Sara, our young friend who is in Iraq because no one would help her with college except the National Guard (one of her *three* jobs).

I'm going to be thinking about Abraham Lincoln, and his wish to bind up the wounds of those who shall have borne the battle -- to care for his widow and his orphan.

You know, UL, Gandhi said something about their first ridiculing you, and in the end, acknowledging that you were right all along!

But you know that!

[understandinglife]

27. "I'm going to be thinking about Abraham Lincoln, and his wish to bind up the wounds of those who ...

... shall have borne the battle -- to care for his widow and his orphan."

Thank you, my friend,
Bob


Peace.

[Wilms]

18. .

[Pacifist Patriot]

25. If I were a congressman sitting in that room I can easily imagine...

myself sitting there in absolute silence. No polite applause, no expression on my face other than a few rolled eyeballs once in awhile. I'm afraid I haven't the fortitude to stand for that length of time. Three kids have ruined my lower back. But silence and virtually no reaction? That I could do.

[understandinglife]

29. "That I could do." And, I know you will.

:thumbsup:

Peace,
Bob

[dogday]

28. I can never forget

This war has literally hit my home and family, and I will never forget what this administration has done to our Soldiers, the Iraqis, and the damage that will live on for generations to come...

[understandinglife]

30. And, never can I ...

Thank you,
Bob


BE THE BU$H OPPOSITION - 24/7

[southern_belle]

31. I think they should all walk out.

:applause:

[Alamom]

32. Now "THAT" would be a protest....

& it would be a beautiful sight to behold.