Camp Casey April 13, 2006, from proud2Blib

[evlbstrd]

Happy Birthday, Thomas Jefferson

Wow I don't even know where to begin. What an unbelievable day. I am incredibly exhausted and it is 1:00 in the morning so I will keep this short.

The program tonight was amazing. There were speakers and poets and singers. I am too tired to remember names but will try to fill those in later. The highlight of the evening (actually I should say highlights) was a speech by Daniel Ellsberg and a performance by Emma's Revolution, two women who are enormously talented. BUY THEIR CD!! Great great political music. I feel incredibly lucky to know only hear them but to talk to them too. My kid the musician wants to marry one or both of them. LOL

Ellsberg - wow, what can I say? He spoke not from a written speech, but from his heart. He showed us the article in this week's Newsweek, and was proud to say that bush did the same thing he did - leaked classical documents. LOL That got a good laugh.

He talked about the need for massive civil disobedience and how that made such a difference in 1970. We all MUST do what we can to stop this madness. It is essential that we change the composition of the House, not just to Dems, but to different Dems. We need to show a lack of respect for the monarch, for he is at war not only with the middle east, but with our civil rights too.

"IF THIS BE TREASON, MAKE THE MOST OF IT" was how Ellsberg ended his talk. I want THAT on a bumper sticker.

Scott is here filming for Truthout and hopefully the video of Ellsberg's speech will be posted there. Don't miss it.

Rev. Lowry will be here tomorrow to speak.

Every one of you who can needs to get your ass here. It is the most awesome and incredible experience.

I bought a pink hat today. So look for that and my orange chair.

[marmar]

1. How many people are there?

:grouphug:

[evlbstrd]

2. I don't know.

I'll ask her. She can only email from the motel.

[mntleo2]

3. Love From Seattle!

I am too poor to "get my ass down there" (lol), but I am keeping track of what is going on there as best as I can during this holy week.

In my church, we have the Service of Tenebrae on Good Friday. This is a very old service that has been done almost since the beginning of Christianity. First 12 candles are lit. Then accounts of the last hours of Jesus are read. From his arrest, to his torture, to his agonizing, stumbling journey carrying his cross through the streets of Jerusalem, and finally his death. At each part of that journey, a candle is extinguished. At the end of the accounts, as we are remembering Jesus taking his last breath, the last candle is extinguished. It is hard to describe to anyone as to how powerful it is to sit there in the dark, connected to millions of others who live in darkness and face the darkness every day throughout time at this very same service. Even when you know that the story is not yet finished...

We celebrated the Seder last night as well. We contemplate our connection to others serving the Seder throughout the world and the centuries. In good times and in bad times, rich or poor, all over the world this meal has been shared for thousands and thousands of years. It is a fitting prelude to Good Friday for me because it is the time to connect with my Jewish friends, and to celebrate and look forward to a time for peace ~ but not before an arduous journey and great loss as did the people who left Egypt so many thousands of years ago.

Tonight at the Tenebrae services, I will call for prayer for you all in Texas. It will begin at 7 PM PDT tonight. As I sit in the dark, knowing it is always darkest before dawn as it always is, I will send my love to you all down there, knowing you will be singing, calling for peace, and grieving the needless loss for a war that nobody understands and that is being waged for enriching others and not for anything noble. I will grieve with you sitting there in the dark at my little church in Seattle. Maybe some of the tears and prayers will reach your hearts so you know it is not just the people there at Camp Casey who feel as you do and you will see how you are spreading to others so we can begin loving one another and celebrating our diversity and our connection to one another.

Love,
Cat In Seattle

Edited For Spelling

[BeTheChange]

5. That was a beautiful post....

thank you for making it.


I did my time in Texas and we went to the last Camp Casey gathering. I wasnt too fond of the whole shindig.. but respect those doing something. I think that it is more powerful if you dont go out to the middle of nowhere Texas. Go sit on the street corner at the entrance to your burb.. go sit in the middle of a local park. Go stand on a street corner downtown.

But the time is coming when we must all decide what we are going to do and actually do it. Enough silent trepidation. Enough safe job security. This nightmare isnt going to end because of a leak investigation and before you know it we are going to be in Iran.

This Holy week I've thought alot about what Jesus would be doing if he walked the earth today. What would he say? What would he risk?

The idea of America has been nailed to a cross... it is almost dead and the whole world is holding its breath, like they did on Holy Saturday. Will its people rise to the occasion? Our democracy isnt free.. it isnt guaranteed.. it was fought for and died for and that is what makes it so precious. Not the words on the Declaration of Independence, or the Bill of Rights. But BLOOD and SWEAT and TEARS.

Does anyone still believe in miracles? Lord knows we need one soon.

[evlbstrd]

4. Mid-day kick.