Blue Hearts

Hello Blue Hearts,

Happy summer break to you all. I hope yours is off to a great start!!

I've got a number of items to share with you in this blog, especially for the local crowd. (I guess the rest of you will just have to move to Kansas City.)

Happy reading.

Kristin


HUMOR
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Subject: to one of the 56 million


--President Bush, First Lady , and Dick Cheney were flying on Air Force One.

George looked at Laura, chuckled and said, "You know, I could throw a $1,000 bill out of the window right now and make somebody very happy."

Laura shrugged her shoulders and replied, "I could throw ten $100 bills out the window and make ten people very happy."

Cheney added, "That being the case, I could throw one hundred $10 bills out of the window and make a hundred people very happy."

Hearing their exchange, the pilot rolled his eyes and said to his co-pilot "Such big-shots back there. Sh*#, I could throw all of them out of the window and make 56 million people very happy."

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New 'Anti-Abortion Pill' Kills Mother, Leaves Fetus Alive
May 10, 2006 | Issue 42•19


NEW YORK—Pro-life advocates celebrated approval of the new anti-abortion drug UR-86 by the Food and Drug Administration Tuesday, calling it a "safe and effective method" for terminating pregnant women while leaving their unborn children unharmed.

Pfizer, manufacturer of UR-86—dubbed the "last-morning-ever pill"—said the drug is intended only for occasions when the mind-set or politics of the mother threaten the life of the fetus.

"This drug is designed for extreme cases in which the mother cannot or should not be saved, or when her health has been placed before that of her unborn child," Pfizer spokesman Anthony Wright said.

The orally ingested drug first tests for the presence of a fetus. If the outcome is positive, a near-lethal dose of barbiturates is released, which induces a coma in the expectant mother until the child is born, at which point a second, fatal dose is released.

The FDA's approval came after months of clinical trials firmly established that the fetus would be nourished and protected in the womb of the near-deceased UR-86 user.

Gender-equality advocates praised the introduction of the drug, calling it an "innovative solution" to the highly polarizing national abortion debate.

"This is a step forward for equality," men's rights activist Charles Hackett said. "For too long, women have had an unfair advantage in the outcome of a pregnancy. UR-86 levels the playing field for husbands and boyfriends across America."

Pro-life advocates, many of whom had petitioned the FDA to approve UR-86 while the drug was still in the research-and-development stage, also reacted warmly to the FDA's decision. Randall Terry, founder of Operation Rescue, praised the new pharmaceutical for its potential use in cases of rape and incest, saying it could help end the shame and humiliation of such trauma while saving the life of the fetus.

"Victims of sexual assault can feel trapped, like they've got nowhere to turn," Terry said. "Now, they can solve their deep, internal problems once and for all, without unfairly condemning their children."

Yet critics say UR-86's prescription-only status and the fact that most health insurance plans do not cover the drug limit its effectiveness, as it is not available to those who need it most.

"If people can't afford the drug or get it prescribed on short notice, they're not going to have enough time to act, especially when their wives want to end the pregnancy fast," men's issues commentator Stan Dynes said. "UR-86 should be made available over the counter as soon as possible. It's the husband's right to choose if this drug is right for him, and neither the government nor the medical elite should get in the way of that decision."

Pfizer trials showed that UR-86 can do nothing for the fetus if an abortion procedure is performed. "If the mother is administered the pill the morning after an abortion, the fetus cannot be revived because it won't be there," Pfizer's Wright said. "It will still terminate the mother, though."

Conversely, some lawmakers are uneasy with the concept of ready access to the anti-abortion pill.

Tuesday night, South Dakota legislators introduced a bill to impose a five-day waiting period for teenage girls and women before they can buy the pill, claiming its use does not adequately safeguard the lifestyle of the father, the laundry of the father, or the favorite meals of the father. The legislators cited Pfizer's own published list of side effects of UR-86, which include domestic messiness, already-born-child neglect, and inadequate stocking of the fridge.

Still, Pfizer anticipates not only that the drug will be popular with husbands, but also that, once available over the counter, UR-86 will likely find a large consumer base in mothers-in-law, downstairs neighbors, and extramarital lovers.

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This kid's impersonation is GREAT!!!
To see it, cut and paste the link below in your browser if you need to:

http://www.jibjab.com/jokebox/jokebox/jibjab/id/555981/jokeid/125614

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Actually, this is more frightening than funny.... K

Prominent Psychiatrist: "Bush has Personality Disorder", Schnaiberg Papers

An interesting perspective from Dr. Paul Minot, a psychiatrist in Waterville, Maine George Bush's "irrational" consideration of a "surge" in the wake of the Iraq Study Group report - which apparently defies all credible counsel - has begun to generate speculation regarding his sanity. References to Bush's "delusions" have appeared in the mainstream media and throughout the blogosphere:

As a psychiatrist, I understandably get concerned when I see clinical terminology bandied about in political discourse, and thought it might be of interest to share a professional perspective on this question. I have a distinct clinical impression that I think explains much of Mr. Bush's visible pathology.

First and foremost, George W. Bush has a Narcissistic Personality Disorder. What this means, is that he has rather desperate insecurities about himself, and compensates by constructing a grandiose self-image. Most of his relationships are either mirroring relationships - people who flatter him and reinforce his grandiosity - or idealized self-objects - people that he himself thinks a lot of, and hence feels flattered by his association with them. Some likely perform both functions. Hence his weakness for sycophants like Harriet Miers, and powerful personalities like Dick Cheney. Even as a narcissist, Bush knows he isn't a great intellect, and compensates by dismissing the value of intellect altogether. Hence his disses of Gore's bookishness, and any other intellectual that isn't flattering him.

Bush knows that his greatest personal strength is projecting personal affability, and tries to utilize it even in the most inappropriate settings. That's why he gives impromptu backrubs to the German Chancellor in a diplomatic meeting - he's insecure intellectually, and tries to make everyone into a "buddy" so he can feel more secure. The most disturbing aspect about narcissists, however, is their pathological inability to empathize with others, with the exception of those who either mirror them, or whom they idealize. Hence Bush's horrifying insensitivity to the Katrina victims, his callous jokes when visiting grievously injured soldiers, and numerous other instances. He simple has no capacity to feel for others in that way. When LBJ was losing Vietnam, he developed a haunted expression that anybody could recognize as indicative of underlying anguish. For all his faults, you just knew he was losing sleep over it. By the same token, we know just as well that Bush isn't losing any sleep over dead American soldiers, to say nothing of dead Ir aqis. He didn't exhibit any sign of significant concern until his own political popularity was sliding -because THAT'S something he CAN feel. Which brings us to his recent "delusion."

To be blunt, I don't see any indication that Bush has any sort of psychotic disorder whatsoever. The lapses in reality-testing that he exhibits are the sort that can be readily explained by his characterological insensitivity to the feelings and perceptions of others, due to his persistently self-centered frame of reference. Mr. Bush knows that things aren't going his way in Iraq, and he knows that it is damaging him politically. He also sees that it is likely to get worse no matter what he does, and in fact it may be a lost cause. However, he recognizes that if he follows the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, that Iraq will almost certainly evolve into a puppet state of Iran, and given his treatment of Iran he will completely lose control of the situation - and he will be politically discredited for this outcome. The ONLY chance that he has to avoid this political disaster, and save his political skin, is to hope against hope for "victory" in Iraq.

Advancing the "surge" idea offers Bush two political advantages over following the ISG recommendations. One is that if it is implemented, maybe, just maybe, he can pull out some sort of nominal "victory" out of the situation. The chances are exceedingly slim, granted, but slim is better to him than the alternative (none). Alternately, if the "surge" is politically rejected, he gains some political cover, so when things inevitably go bad, he can say "I told you so" and blame the "surrender monkeys" for the outcome. Most people probably won't buy it, but some (his core base) will.

Now, I know what many of you are thinking - is George Bush willing to risk the lives of hundreds, maybe thousands more American soldiers, on an outside chance to save his political skin, in a half-baked plan that even he knows probably won't work at all? Yes, he is. Because George Bush is that narcissistic, that desperate, and yes, that sociopathic as well.

Especially interesting about Mr. Bush, but quite common, Narcissistic Personality Disorder is frequently associated with alcoholism. The insufferable "holier than thou" attitude associated with "Dry Drunk Syndrome" is indicative of underlying narcissism. Also, the way that Bush embraces Christianity is characteristically narcissistic. Rather than incorporating the lessons of humility and empathy modeled by Jesus, Bush uses his Christian faith to reinforce his grandiosity. Jesus is his powerful ally, his idealized "buddy" who gives a rubber stamp to anything he thinks.

Finally - and this will sound VERY familiar to many readers - those persons with NPD are notoriously unable to say they're sorry. Admitting error is fundamentally incompatible with their precarious efforts to maintain their sense of order. Anyone having this particular character flaw almost certainly has NPD.

ALLAN SCHNAIBERG Professor of Sociology & Faculty Associate,
Institute for Policy Research Northwestern University
1812 Chicago Avenue, room 108
Evanston, IL 60208
847-491-3202


GENERAL INTEREST
============

Although it's too early to say, this article gives me great hope. K

ROLLING STONE
For release 05/20/2007


All Flipper, No Gipper

The GOP's pathetic candidates, or: Why three wrongs can't please the right
By Tim Dickinson

It's a bad time to be a republican running for president. Thanks to President Bush's blunders and deceits, only twenty-nine percent of Americans favor installing another Republican in the White House. Democrats hold a staggering eighteen-point advantage among independents, and even nine percent of Republican voters have declared their intention to spurn the GOP in 2008. "The troubles of the Bush administration give the Democrats the best chance they've had for the White House in at least thirty years," says David Gergen, who served as a senior adviser to Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. Even history itself is against the Republicans: In the past century, only one two-term president - Reagan - has paved the way for the election of a member of his own party.

Democrats, to their credit, have fielded candidates worthy of the opportunity. Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John Edwards, along with Bill Richardson, headline the party's strongest crop of presidential hopefuls in living memory - a band of qualified and electable politicians that, boasts longtime Democratic strategist Donna Brazile, "looks more like the Beatles than anything I've ever seen."

The Republican field, by contrast, looks more like the Monkees - a cast of misfits who, judging by their amateur-hour performances in the first GOP debate in early May, seem unnominatable, much less electable. "They've all got real liabilities," admits Republican strategist Frank Luntz, who has been a driving force in the party since he helped craft the Contract With America in 1994.

Some of the flaws are intrinsic: A quarter of Americans say they wouldn't vote for a Mormon (Mitt Romney), three in ten would reject a candidate on his third marriage (Rudy Giuliani), and forty-two percent wouldn't endorse a seventy-two-year-old (John McCain's age at inauguration). And then there are the issues: McCain continues to champion the bloody futility in Iraq, Giuliani has little hope of winning over Christian conservatives furious at his support for abortion and gay rights, and Romney has flip-flopped on nearly every political position he has ever taken. No wonder fifty-seven percent of likely GOP voters declare themselves dissatisfied with the current crop of candidates.

"I've never seen the Republican base more perplexed," confesses Bill Donohue, president of the conservative Catholic League. "McCain has lost his luster, Romney has flip-flopped, and Rudy has got baggage. Some people think their glaring weaknesses are going to cancel each other out - but I'm beginning to wonder if it won't kill all of them."

Perhaps the surest sign of Republican desperation is the attempt by restive conservatives to promote the potential candidacy of a man who wasn't even on the stage in the debate at the Reagan Library: Law & Order star Fred Thompson. This is a man who served eight undistinguished, skirt-chasing years in the Senate before stepping down because the job required too much effort. ("I don't like spending fourteen- and sixteen-hour days voting," Thompson explained.)

The GOP field for 2008 was supposed to be stocked with heavyweight Dixie-publicans, politicians befitting a party in which Southern evangelicals have positioned themselves as kingmakers. "We fully expected a run by Bill Frist, George Allen, maybe even Jeb Bush," says Charlie Cook, the veteran Washington handicapper. But those candidates fell by the wayside in the wake of congressional corruption scandals, the implosion of the Bush legacy, and macaca. "If George Allen hadn't been such an idiot, he'd be sitting pretty right now," says Luntz. "He was the guy who could have made it through both the primary and the general election."

Indeed, over the past year, Karl Rove's vision of a "permanent majority" has been torpedoed by Republican greed and incompetence. The party has been staggered by the administration's mishandling of Iraq and Katrina, as well as by the endemic corruption and cronyism that have turned the GOP - once the party of small government and fiscal restraint - into the party of reckless spending and record deficits. What's more, given the way that Bush and Rove have welded the GOP ever more firmly to the Christian right, the fiscal moderates and social-issue centrists who would like to return the party to its more traditional roots have been forced to subject themselves to extreme ideological makeovers in an attempt to appease the fundamentalist Christians who have a virtual stranglehold on the GOP nominating process.

No one has paddled more pathetically to the right than John McCain. The maverick senator entered the 2008 race with the formidable backing of the Bush political machine - an apparent quid pro quo for McCain's unexpected endorsement of the president in 2004. But McCain's transition from anti-establishment insurgent to establishment front-runner has been about as smooth as Iraq's path from dictatorship to democracy. "McCain's initial hope was to create an aura of inevitability about his candidacy - and that has completely failed," says Pat Toomey, president of the Club for Growth, an anti-tax pressure group.

Seven years after McCain swept to victory in the New Hampshire primary, many in the party wonder if he has passed his elect-by date. The septuagenarian is showing his age, frequently losing his train of thought on the campaign trail, mixing up Iran and Iraq in his creaky performance at the debate - even appearing to nod off during the president's State of the Union address. Longtime admirers are concerned. "I think the rigors of the campaign are taking a toll on him," says Gergen. "He does not look well."

Selling your soul will do that to a man. In a transparent effort to get right with the conservative base, McCain has embraced the economic zealots whose tax cuts he snubbed in 2001 and 2003, as well as Christian hard-liners like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, whom he once decried as "agents of intolerance." This reactionary shift has created incoherence on the campaign trail, as McCain has flip-flopped on issues such as gay marriage, tax cuts and abortion - often in the same sentence.

"McCain was the all-time winner of the authenticity bowl, and he's just squandering it," laments one seasoned observer of presidential politics. "The lesson he took out of 2000 was 'I gotta kiss ass with the base.' Lately, that's the only message that's coming out of McCain. And it's not even working."

To put it mildly. As he has become the chief spokesman for Bush's surge in Iraq, McCain has stumbled badly in the polls. His fund raising has also suffered: He raised only $13 million in the first quarter, and began the second with a paltry $3.4 million after debts - less money than fourth-place Bill Richardson among the Democrats.

Unlike McCain, Mitt Romney has plenty of money - the former governor of Massachusetts shocked the Washington political establishment by raising $21 million in the first quarter. But Romney has already burned through half that cash, and he remains bogged down at less than ten percent in the polls, thanks in large part to his own shameless pandering. The same man who voted for uberliberal Paul Tsongas in the 1992 Democratic primary, pledged to outdo Ted Kennedy as an advocate for gay rights in 1994, and vowed to not back down in the fight to "preserve and protect a woman's right to choose" as recently as 2002, now paints himself as a Reagan Republican, the standard-bearer in the fight against gay marriage and devoutly pro-life.

And that's just the beginning. The man who appointed more Democrats than Republicans to judgeships in Massachusetts - including two champions of gay rights - now describes himself as a "strict constructionist" foe of "activist judges." While Romney positions himself as an anti-immigrant hard-liner, his lawn was tended for nearly a decade by illegal Guatemalan laborers. And the gun-control advocate - who used to boast, "I don't line up with the NRA" - joined the organization last August. "Who could have predicted," asks Gergen, "that a man as bright as Mitt Romney could be so stupid politically?"

With Romney and McCain faltering so badly, the Republicans are left with a candidate whom few insiders expected to emerge as a front-runner. "This is a strange race," says Stu Rothenberg, one of Washington's top political analysts. "The only guy who seems to be exceeding expectations is the guy with the biggest, deepest flaws - Rudy Giuliani."

The more Romney and McCain jockey for position with the far right, the better Giuliani looks. "He is benefiting from the same reputation that McCain used to have," says Toomey of the Club for Growth. "He is the straight-talking, straight shooter who doesn't always agree with everyone but doesn't pander to anybody. And that's going over quite well - even with people who disagree with him on substantive issues."

Many political strategists, however, remain convinced that Giuliani's poll numbers are padded by ignorance among voters who know him only as the man with the bullhorn who took charge amid the rubble of Ground Zero - not as the vindictive, foul-tempered Nixonite who attempted to foist his mobbed-up buddy Bernie Kerik upon the country as Homeland Security chief. "Rudy Giuliani's lead is artificial," says Gergen. "It's based on his name recognition and celebrityhood coming out of 9/11. But as people learn more about who he was on 9/10, they're considerably less enchanted."

Giuliani's personal history and views on hot-button social issues anger the "values voters" who dominate the GOP nominating process. A fallen Catholic on his third marriage - whose second wife learned of their impending divorce from a press conference - Giuliani personally supports abortion rights and once said he would pay for his own daughter to terminate a pregnancy. As mayor, he sued gun manufacturers for illegally flooding New York with black-market firearms. He hosted eight gay-pride receptions at Gracie Mansion, welcomed the Gay Games to New York, moved in with a gay couple during his divorce proceedings and embraced gay civil unions - to say nothing of his appearance in drag on Saturday Night Live.

"There's no way on this planet that Rudy is going to win the nomination," says Charlie Cook. "As soon as evangelical voters find out what this guy's positions are on cultural issues, his support is going to be like an ice cream cone in the middle of August - it's just going to melt."

Indeed, Giuliani's once commanding lead has already started to soften - as has his commitment to unpopular stances. At the debate, Giuliani began to succumb to the flip-flopping fever of his competitors, reversing his support for federal funding of abortion and even proclaiming that "it would be OK" to repeal Roe v. Wade.

McCain has turned up the heat on Giuliani by hiring Bush's former political director Terry Nelson, the prime suspect behind the recent leak of Giuliani's contributions to Planned Parenthood. And in March, a petition circulated by Christian Coalition activists in Iowa declared that Giuliani's "liberal record as mayor" and "the conduct of his personal life make it impossible for us to support his candidacy under any circumstances." Richard Land, president of the political wing of the Southern Baptist Convention, vows that his troops will boycott Rudy. "If Giuliani wants the presidency," Land says, "he'll have to do it without evangelical votes - and that's a real difficult mathematical equation."

As a result of such infighting, the Grand Old Party - long known for closing ranks around a single candidate - is in disarray. "This is the most Balkanized Republican primary season that I can remember," says Bob Barr, the former GOP congressman who led the impeachment fight against Bill Clinton. Gergen offers an even more dire assessment: "The party," he says, "is splintering." Without the support of the Christian right, it's hard to see how either McCain, Giuliani or Romney can win the nomination. According to Grover Norquist, the Republican revolutionary who is a close ally of Karl Rove, many evangelical leaders view the GOP race as nothing more than a contest between "two pagans and a Mormon."

Ironically, say party insiders, the one politician capable of unifying the Republican base isn't even a Republican. It's Hillary Clinton - the Democrat who galvanizes GOP hard-liners the same way that Dick Cheney does the MoveOn crowd. At the debate, there was only one point of absolute unanimity: Each of the ten candidates - from libertarian dove Ron Paul to anti-immigration whack-job Tom Tancredo - spoke passionately about the need to keep Bill and Hillary from a return trip to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. "There's a new pragmatism on the part of Republican voters," says Dick Morris, who served as Bill Clinton's top political strategist. "And it's driven by their terror of Hillary."

That fear has given a huge boost to Giuliani, the one Republican who consistently tops Clinton in the polls. As Barr puts it, "Giuliani's strongest trump card is the claim that 'I can beat Hillary. I have the backbone, the chutzpah and the credentials to beat her - and these other folks don't.' "

Giuliani's chances are also buoyed by the accelerated primary schedule, which offers the massive electoral prize of California - dominated by Schwarzenegger moderates - as a detour around the evangelical roadblock in South Carolina that doomed McCain in 2000. Should Giuliani secure the nomination, his stance on social issues would actually help him win over independents in the general election. And faced with the prospect of a rerun of the Bill and Hillary show, the religious right would turn out in force to support Giuliani, warts and all. "If Hillary gets the nod," says Donohue of the Catholic League, "I can't imagine social conservatives sitting it out."

Yet even if Clinton ends up topping the ticket, the smart money remains on the Democrats. The primary reason that Newt Gingrich has stayed on the sidelines, according to an intimate of the former speaker, is that "he doesn't know whether any Republican can win this thing." As the violence in Iraq - and the number of U.S. casualties - continues to escalate, the GOP may simply be unable to distance itself from the disastrous policies of the Bush administration. "If you're a wagering man," says Gergen, "you'd have to say that the Democrats - if they don't once again snatch defeat from the jaws of victory - are the odds-on favorite to win this one."


SIDEBAR

The Fallback Squad

Do any of the GOP candidates have a shot in 2008?

When it comes to the 2008 presidential election, the Republican Party is just like Iraq - there's no Plan B. The second-tier GOP candidates looking to supplant Giuliani, McCain and Romney as front-runners have far fewer funds - and even deeper flaws.

Fred Thompson

Ticket to ride. Law & Order candidate seen as a "Southern-fried Reagan," according to Southern Baptist leader Richard Land. When focus groups are asked, "Would you want to have a beer with the candidate?" says GOP strategist Frank Luntz, "everybody says yes to Fred Thompson."

Baggage. Slammed by James Dobson of Focus on the Family as "not a Christian." Admitted he "chased a lot of women." Married a woman four years younger than his daughter. Has a reputation for laziness: Won't go on the road for long stretches because "I don't do frenetic."

DARK-HORSE ODDS 12-to-1


Sam Brownback

Ticket to ride. Kansas senator appeals not only to Christian fundamentalists (he serves only "one Constituent" - God; considers abortion murder and homosexuality immoral) but to economic fundamentalists ("He has a great pro-growth record," raves Pat Toomey of the Club for Growth).

Baggage. Baptized by a priest from the Catholic cult of Opus Dei (featured in The Da Vinci Code). A favorite of hatemongers: Fred Phelps, the "God Hates Fags" preacher infamous for disrupting gay funerals, says Brownback "likes what we're doing, and he tells me that."

DARK-HORSE ODDS 50-to-1


Mike Huckabee

Ticket to ride. Ex-Arkansas governor wins points with social conservatives for his divorce-proof "covenant" marriage. Nails the language of compassionate conservatism: "We can't say we're pro-life if, after the child is born, we're not concerned about affordable housing, decent education and adequate access to health care."

Baggage. Disliked by anti-tax right for "expanding government." Raised only $544,000 in the first quarter. Holds a concealed-carry permit; son was busted trying to board a plane with a loaded Glock ten days after Virginia Tech.

DARK-HORSE ODDS 80-to-1


Chuck Hagel

Ticket to ride. The Nebraska senator, a true conservative, is the GOP's leading voice against the war in Iraq. "There is an anti-war Republican vote out there - twenty-five percent of the party and growing - and Hagel would capture all of it," says Luntz.

Baggage. His non-announcement announcement of his candidacy in March was, Luntz adds, "One of the dumbest blunders of 2007. There's a rule in politics: Don't drag Washington reporters to Nebraska in the middle of winter to tell them absolutely nothing. They'll try to get even."

DARK-HORSE ODDS 100-to-1

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50 Percent of Iraq's Christians May Have Left Country

Courtesy of the Associated Press

6 May 2007

By Ravi Nessman
Sameer N. Yacoub in Baghdad contributed to this story.

(ZNDA: Baghdad) Despite the chaos and sectarian violence raging across Baghdad, Farouq Mansour felt relatively safe as a Christian living in a multiethnic neighborhood in the capital.

Then, two months ago, al-Qaida gunmen kidnapped him and demanded that his family convert to Islam or pay a $30,000 ransom. Two weeks later, he paid up, was released and immediately fled to Syria, joining a mass exodus of Iraq's increasingly threatened Christian minority.

"There is no future for us in Iraq," Mansour said.

Although Islamic extremists have targeted Iraqi Christians before, bombing churches and threatening religious leaders, the latest attacks have taken on a far more personal tone. Many Christians are being expelled from their homes and forced to leave their possessions behind, police, human rights groups and residents said.

The Christian community here, about 3 percent of the country's 26 million people, has little political or military clout to defend itself, and some Islamic insurgents call Christians "crusaders" whose real loyalty lies with U.S. troops.

Many churches are now nearly empty, with many of their faithful either gone or too scared to attend. Only about 30 people attended this Sunday's mass at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in the relatively safe Baghdad neighborhood of Karradah, and only two dozen took communion in the barren St. Mary's Church in the northern city of Kirkuk on Sunday.

As many as 50 percent of Iraq's Christians may already have left the country, according to a report issued Wednesday by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, a federal monitoring and advisory group in Washington D.C.

"These groups face widespread violence from Sunni insurgents and foreign jihadis, and they also suffer pervasive discrimination and marginalization at the hands of the national government, regional governments, and para-state militias," said the report.

Islamic extremists have also targeted liquor stores, hair salons and other Christian-owned businesses, saying they violate Islam, the report said.

"This is not the culture of Iraqis or the nature of Iraqis. We have lived during centuries together in a respectful attitude and friendship," said Luwis Zarco, the Catholic archbishop of Kirkuk.

In much of the Middle East, Christians are a largely tolerated minority that have achieved a measure of business and professional success, but they are sometimes viewed with suspicion by their Muslim neighbors.

In Saddam-era Iraq, the country's 800,000 Christians -- many of them Chaldean-Assyrians and Armenians, with small numbers of Roman Catholics -- were generally left alone. Many, such as Saddam Hussein's foreign minister and deputy prime minister Tariq Aziz, reached the highest levels of power.

But after U.S. forces toppled Saddam, insurgents launched a coordinated bombing campaign in the summer of 2004 against Baghdad churches, sending some Christians fleeing in fear.

A second wave of anti-Christian attacks hit last September after Pope Benedict XVI made comments perceived to be anti-Islam. Church bombings spiked and a priest in the northern city of Mosul was kidnapped and later found beheaded.

In the recent violence, residents of the Baghdad neighborhood of Dora said gunmen knocked on the doors of Christian families, demanding they either pay jizya -- a special tax traditionally levied on non-Muslims -- or leave. The jizya has not been imposed in Muslim nations in about 100 years.

One man, Arakan Admon, was wounded in a drive-by shooting last week when his family ignored the threats, relatives said.

In response to the threats, about 70 percent of Dora's Christians have fled, police said.

"The terrorists want to turn Dora into a base to attack other Baghdad neighborhoods," said Christian lawmaker Younadam Kana. "Criminal gangs made use of the situation and they started to kidnap Christians and demand ransom. It is a coalition between terrorists and criminals."

The southern neighborhood is a Sunni insurgent stronghold that has seen frequent U.S. shelling under a security crackdown against the sectarian violence.

In the northern city of Mosul, men began knocking on doors last month, demanding that Christian families pay a $3,000 tax that would be used to fight the U.S.-led forces, local residents said. Some paid; others fled.

Mansour, a 63-year-old retiree, said that while many other Christians left, he chose to stay in his Amariyah neighborhood in western Baghdad. He was hoping that the Baghdad security plan, which U.S.-led forces launched on Feb. 14, would improve the situation.

"But the opposite happened," he said.

Mansour was kidnapped March 11 by gunmen who identified themselves as al-Qaida. After 15 days in captivity, his family paid the ransom and fled the country, leaving their home and electric appliance store behind, Mansour said in a telephone interview from Syria.

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Subject: Petition to End Substance-Abuse Promotion on Rock Radio

We need you, and every parent you know anywhere across the country, to sign this petition. It’s a moderate approach to getting rock DJs to behave a little better, and quit covertly encouraging kids to get high, use meth, etc. Results from a recent outrage. But without the signatures, it’ll never happen. Please forward.

Thanks,

Paul

To All Parents:

Please find at this link the Petition To End Substance-Abuse Glorification On Radio.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/radiosubstanceabuse/index.html

This is to protect children who may be influenced by careless programming and/or DJs, asking for voluntary compliance from the offending stations, and their advertisers. This in no way involves the First Amendment, or any encroachment upon it. Note that Accessible Arts and Project EAGLE are co-sponsors.

Please pass on to parents, teachers, and concerned individuals in all regions who are fed-up with the reckless attitudes that dominate certain rock stations, where they mistakenly believe that they can freely promote the “party animal” image to their listeners—millions of whom are children. It is time for those stations to behave in a more responsible fashion, and to consider the drastic consequences of their acts.

Please join us in this worthwhile endeavor to return a modicum of sanity to the airwaves.

Thanks,

Paul Dorrell, Author
Thomas M. Deacy, Attorney


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Some "green" thoughts from Courtney at It's Only Natural. K

Oh My Gosh!
I don't know how many of you caught the quote from Sheryl Crow about her personal "eco-efforts" which include using only one square of toilet paper per visit (three at the most when needed!)

It just breaks my heart when I hear things like that - because while its laudable that she is willing to do that - come on! It is NOT practical and doesn't help the rest of us who are really trying to make better and more practical lifestyle choices!

So, I say: stick to things you can do easily and without stress - like switch to recycled toilet paper (and other things like use florescent bulbs, recycle, etc) - and ignore well-meaning but not very practical suggestions that most of us can't even fathom trying out!

Another example was on the Oprah show "Going Green 101" (hope some of you caught it - it was overall was a great show!) But a woman had written a book about becoming more eco-conscious and her suggestion was to use one less paper napkin a day. Now, to be fair, if you are really used to using paper napkins and you use the "daily average" (according to her) of six a day, then it does help to use less.

But how about, again, buying recycled paper napkins? Or better yet, go to cloth. I buy packages of inexpensive washcloths and use them for everyday. They last a really long time, work way better anyway than paper (they don't tear) and then you save a huge amount of money over time!

So, I guess my real message is don't beat yourself up because you use more than one square of toilet tissue per visit, for goodness sakes!! And pat yourself on the back for all the wonderful ways you do make changes that are adding up quite nicely, thank you!!

Specials from Oprah
Speaking of Oprah's show, the Shaklee company was offering Oprah viewers, for a limited time, a set of their eco-cleaning products at about 33% off!! So if you are interested just go to Oprah.com, do a search for Going Green 101, then click on the link to that show's summary and once there you should see a choice for: Simple Changes, Big Results - that is where the link to the special is.

Save, Save, Save
Another money saving idea: FREE mulch! There was an article in the paper recently that there are some concerns with the harvesting practices of cypress mulch (one of the most used mulches here in KC). And the article mentioned that in addition to using readily available grass clippings or leaves as mulch, the city has a few free options! KCP&L will even deliver a truckload of free mulch to your home! Just go to www.kcpl.com/ safety/safety_mulch_p.html.

Or if you have the means to pick up your own, you can also go to one of the city's leaf and limb drop-off sites. The site on the east side of Raytown Road, just south of Interstate 470, is open Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Green Thought for the Day: think durable over disposable. It seems like we have suddenly been offered a disposable version of almost every product we buy - "from mops, dusters, sunscreen wipes and even toilet bowl cleaners. These items may be convenient, but the costs quickly pile up - as do the heaps in the landfills. Do the math and you'll discover that you pay 25 to 90 cents per wipe, cloth or sponge you use. Consumer Reports tested disposable mops and found that they can cost more that $115 a year, compared with $50 for a traditional sponge mop with replacement heads and cleanser. Choosing disposable diapers means you're throwing away $1000 annually. Each year in the United States, we toss out two billion plastic razors, a million and a half tons of paper towels, and 12 billion disposable diapers - which require about 100,000 tons of plastic and 250,000 trees to manufacture, and decades to decompose.

The bottom line: Use durable products as frequently as possible, including a sturdy mop, cotton napkins, rags instead of paper towels, and refillable ink cartridges for your printer ." (From Organic Style, October 2005)

I just have to tell you about this pizza joint I was reading about called Pizza Fusion in Fort Lauderdale, FL. They source their 100% organic ingredients from no more than a 60 mile radius, the employees all wear organic cotton uniforms, the plates are biodegradable, the napkins and pizza boxes are made from recycled material, the menus are 100% post-consumer paper, the delivery people drive hybrid cars - on top of all that - they make really great tasting pizza! Now that's a sustainable business model if ever I heard of one!! (see more at www.pizzafusion.com) Do you think they deliver to KC?

Here's a green tip to check out: http://printgreener.com/ At this site, you can download software that "eliminates wasteful pages in any printout automatically, saving you time and money, and maybe more importantly, saving trees, reducing greenhouse gasses, and decreasing waste.....It does this by analyzing each page of every document sent to the printer and looking for typical waste characteristics (like that last page with just a URL, banner ad, logo, or legal jargon). "

I wanted to just say "yahoo" to the party planners at the Kansas City Art Institute...in a recent column by Ann Spivak, it said that their next gala auction (June 23) is going to be a "net-zero energy event." They have installed three 27-foot wind turbines on a hill overlooking the party. The turbines will produce power that will be stored in batteries which will operate the lighting at the party! All the table linens, napkins, china and silverware will be reusable. And the gourmet dinner will be made mostly of locally grown good. Way to be eco-conscious!!

Plastic Bags - Just say "NON"- that's French for NO!
I think I've already written about how the city of San Francisco has banned plastic bags in stores - looks like Paris too has followed suit. This seemingly innocent invention has caused so much pollution (one site reported a full 500 Billion are used each year!) - not to mention they are made from petroleum!

Shopping bags are just the tip of the plastic iceberg - sandwich bags, trash bags, plastic wrap...all contribute to an amazing amount of pollution. Plastic takes years to break down and when it does it just breaks into small pieces that continue to pollute our water, soil and wildlife.

In Denmark, larger supermarkets do not offer paper bags and they charge you 75 cents per bag if you take plastic. Since plastic bags cost supermarkets only about a penny a bag and paper costs 5 cents, no wonder you don't hear "Paper or Plastic?" anymore - its now "Is Plastic ok?" Just say no to both and take your own canvas bags - they hold so much more, the handles don't break and - obviously - are much better for the environment.

Smart Watering

With the arrival of the heat of summer, there seems to come this panic about how much water a lawn needs. Rest assured we are ahead in rainfall this year and lawns can go up to 45 days without watering! So, turn off that sprinkler system and only fire it up when we've been a good two weeks or more without rain.

Most people get their information about how much watering their lawn needs from - their neighbors! Well, smart as they might be, they aren't experts! Experts will tell you water deeply and infrequently - the opposite of what most Kansas Citians do!

Did you know that bluegrass is a biennial which means it is meant to go dormant in August? This doesn't mean your whole lawn goes brown!! But you do need to give it a rest for its best health. And even though the grass will get a less lustrous shade of green and you might see a little bit of brown, you have to remember it is still alive & healthy and that's what the grass is supposed to do. Just like you know your daffodil bulbs are still healthy even when you see their leaves wilt and turn brown.

Do you have a sprinkler company that set up your watering schedule? I know someone whose sprinkler system would go off every day no matter what! Even if it was pouring rain, that system kicked on at precisely 6am - why? Because that's how her sprinkler company had set it up and she didn't know how to change the programming! But here's an idea - find your panel and look at it. Most are pretty logically designed, but at the very least you can push the "on/off" button to the off position until your lawn needs any watering!

Do you use your sprinkler system often because you need to water your annual flowers? If you want to be more water conscious - I would recommend hand watering (or a moveable sprinkler & hose) to water those areas - and next year - plant any annuals in ONE sprinkler zone - so if you decide to use the system to water you at least don't have to water the whole lawn!

Or better yet, be a "lazy gardener" like me and plant glorious perennials! Once they are established - they get to be totally ignored!! I never water my flower beds (just like I don't water my lawn) unless we've gone at least three weeks without rain!

There are lots of added benefits of not overwatering too - like no mildew or water-based lawn diseases, no mosquitos, no thatch, no mud...and how about that smaller water bill??!!

For other gardening water needs - learn how to make and put into use a rain barrel by going to Bridging the Gap's session on June 23rd at 2pm at the 3 Trails Community Recycling Center (in the parking lot of the former Wal-Mart Supercenter at 91st and Hillcrest Road) The cost is $35 for each barrel, and all materials are included. Don't delay - reservations are due June 15th - call Annie at 816-561-1061 ext 100.

Save 100 Million Trees - Stop the Junk Mail!

Did you know more than 100 million trees are destroyed each year to produce junk mail? About 28 billion gallons of water are also wasted, and the energy used to produce and dispose of junk mail exceeds 2.8 million cars.

There are some great organizations that will help eliminate 80-95% of your junk mail for very little cost - and since none of us want the junk mail anyway - its a win-win!!

One place you can go to is www.41pounds.com - it will only cost you $41 for 5 years and 1/3 of the money goes to non-profit organizations. Or check out www.greendimes.com - it will cost only $36/year or a dime a day.

Time to wrap it up! Thanks for reading...see you soon -


LOCAL (KC) INTEREST
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This is tonight, June 20th!!!! Hope you can make it. K

Jay Nixon Reception
Wed. June 20th, 5:30-6:30p.m.
Harper's Restaurant, 18 & Vine (brand new, not even open yet! Great organic food)

This is a reception before Jay's big Jazz Gala at the Gem Theater. If you can donate $150 or more, you also get a ticket to that event. Minimum ticket price is $25.00 and there's no maximum.

If you are not going to be in town, you can still write Jay a check to Nixon for Governor and mail it to:
Tamara Morris
1330 West 50th Terr.
KCMO 64112

Tamara will make sure Jay gets it at the event. Many thanks and let's all work to get a Democratic Governor elected in Missouri!

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This is on Saturday, June 23rd. K

PDFs don't show up in this format. What it says is that a big, out-of-state dairy company is partnering with Hy-Vee and Shatto is concerned we will see much less of their milk on the shelves. They would like us to "Vote for Shatto" with the management at Hy-Vee and continue to buy Shatto milk. They are our local provider. It makes sense to support them. Thanks, K

Subject: Vote Local - Vote Shatto


Hello from the farm,

Typically I only send you an email once per month containing our Monthly Moosletter. http://www.shattomilkcompany.com/newsletter/June_2007.pdf This month is a bit different as some information has come to my attention that I thought I should share with you immediately as I want everyone to understand that not all glass bottled milk is the same.

As your local family dairy farm and your neighbor, I ask that you consider the attached PDF document and contact me directly if you have questions. I would also encourage you to share this document with as many of your friends, family and co-workers as possible.

My family and I appreciate your support of our local family farm.

Your Neighbor,

Leroy Shatto

p.s. If by chance you visit a store that is out of your favorite Shatto product, please bring it to the attention of the dairy or store manager and ask them to order more. As you are aware our cows are producing enough milk for everyone to enjoy!

www.shattomilkcompany.com


June 23, 2007 - 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

We invite you, your family, and friends to our annual customer appreciation event and to help us celebrate the four-year anniversary of Shatto Milk Company. The event is free of charge and everyone is invited.

Something for everyone:
• Tour the farm.
• Pet the baby calves.
• Learn how our milk is processed.
• Enjoy a Hay Ride (weather permitting).
• Register for prizes.
• Sample Shatto products.
• Visit our retail store.
• Enjoy the country setting..

We remain committed to providing you with MILK AT ITS FINEST. My family and I look forward to meeting you during your visit. Our family farm and processing facility is located at 9406 N. Hwy 33, Osborn MO 64474.

See you soon,
Robert L. Shatto


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This is Sunday, June 24th. Should be much fun. K


Dear Friends,

Do you love the taste of fresh veggies grown close to home? Are you interested in reducing the environmental impact of your food choices by eating more locally? Would you like to see real-life examples of the beauty and community that urban farms can bring to our neighborhoods?

If so, I’d like to invite you to a wonderful event that will allow you to do this and learn more about urban agriculture, why it matters, and how you can support it in our community. I’d also like to ask you to help spread the word about this event to your family, friends, and any groups you think might be willing to help promote it.

The Kansas City Center for Urban Agriculture’s Second Biennial Urban Farms Tour takes place Sunday, June 24, from noon to 5. Eleven unique farms from all over the metro area will be featured, along with great music, kids’ activities, and plenty of fresh produce! The Urban Farms Tour begins at noon at Cross-Lines Community Outreach Food Kitchen at 736 Shawnee Ave. in Kansas City, with a brief talk on Urban Agriculture, what it is, what it has to offer urban residents and the urban landscape, and how people can get involved.

From Lew Edmister’s art-filled farm on the Westside; to Ericka Wright’s Troostwood Gardens in midtown Kansas City, where neighborhood youth are growing food and learning valuable work skills; to Paul Huns’ KCK farm that specializes in Asian vegetables and herbs with medicinal benefits; to Bev Pender’s seven lots of vegetables and fruit in KCK; these farms and seven others reflect the unique vision and specialties of each farmer.

Tickets are $5 per person or $12 for families and may be purchased at the Brookside, 39th Street, City Market, Minor Park or KCK farmers markets or at the tour the day of. For more information and a description of the farms, see www.kccua.org or call 913-831-2444.

Hope to see you June 24!

Sincerely,
Laura O'Brien

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This is on Thursday, June 28th. K

Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans in recent decades and its projected continuation.

Thomas Hess from The Climate Project will present a presentation based on the movie "An Inconvenient Truth" which will include a presentation with the most current information in climate change and global warming.

An Inconvenient Truth, an Academy Award winning documentary film about climate change, specifically global warming, is presented by former US Vice President Al Gore. A companion book authored by Gore has been on the paperback nonfiction New York Times best seller list since June 11, 2006, and reached #1 on July 2, 2006.

The film premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival and opened in New York and Los Angeles on May 24, 2006. It is the third-highest-grossing documentary in the United States to date. The film's distributor, Paramount Classics, is donating 5% of the box office receipts and Gore is donating all of his proceeds from the film to The Alliance for Climate Protection (of which Gore is both founder and chairman). For more information on the documentary, go to http://www.climatecrisis.net/

Plan to attend this interesting and informational meeting on Thursday, June 28 at 7:00pm at The Writers Place.


The Greater Kansas City Women’s Political Caucus
Phone: (816)531-9595

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The Peace Vigil is on Sunday, June 24th AND the Patriots Picnic is on Wednesday, July 4th. K

Dear Friends

Yesterday I watched a video from the Network for Spiritual Progressives entitled "Don't be realistic!" (Watch and share the video by clicking here.) It challenged the viewer “don’t let those people who define realism in American politics to set the contours for you of what you can dedicate your life to struggling for…” It offers one antidote to the temptation of succumbing to the despair and frustration many feel about the war grinding on- three or four U.S. Marines and soldiers and many many more Iraqi civilians dying each day.

Another antidote was spending some time with Iraq vets, Adam Kokesh and his supporters, when they were in town. Seeing their commitment and conviction helps. I do not want to affirm the message which was written in a Marine barracks in Iraq, “America is not at war. The Marines are at war. America is at the mall.”

Succumbing to despair and inertia abandons U.S. Marines and soldiers and the Iraqi people to the catastrophe Iraq has become.

Our response here in Kansas City to the gridlock and politics in Washington is to work smarter and try creative strategies and tactics. Nine KC Iraq Task Force volunteers came together for a special meeting yesterday to discuss strategies and tactics. We considered our current approaches and are in the process of formulating new strategies.

We want to find ways to motivate the peace majority and increase the number of emails, calls, faxes, visits and letters they send to officials. (It is a numbers game. Bigger numbers of emails and calls means bigger impact on the official.)

What would motive and re-energize you? Email us – we want to know! iharritt@afsc.org

We are looking into ways we can focus on the money
– How can we educate and target the big contributors to elected officials who are supporting the war?
– Who are the war profiteers and how can we put pressure on them and educate the public about their financial incentives for promoting war-making? ( See The 10 Most Brazen War Profiteers)
– How can we better expose the economic impacts of the Iraq war on our community? (See new Cost of War flags below)

We also began to discuss ways to urge congregations to walk their theological talk and declare themselves Shalom congregations

We are just starting with our planning. We will consider other strategic nonviolent actions which could help end the war in Iraq – boycotts, CD, sit-ins, die-ins, and other actions.

We encourage your participation in our planning of new strategies and in upcoming events: What is the highest form of Patriotism? Peace Vigil & Rally on June 24, Sunday, 4:00pm to 5:30pm (See flyer below.); the next Iraq Task Force planning meeting on June 25.

Help us develop new strategies to apply pressure on law makers, war profiteers, campaign contributors or others who can end the war in Iraq!

Also please join us for AFSC’s annual fundraising Patriots Picnic, on July 4th, 10:30a.m. to 2:30p.m. The event will include great food - barbecue, salads, pies, games, an Apple Pie contest, speak outs and music by Checkered Past, Kevin Haitt and Women of the Drum (See information below.)

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,
Ira Harritt
KC American Friends Service Committee
KC Iraq Task Force Co-chair

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“A vision of what is possible, a source of hope and inspiration, is the necessary ingredient for energizing change.” Rosabeth Moss Kantor


BUYING INFLUENCE NEWSLETTER
May 15, 2007
The French Open Follows Wimbledon with Pay Change for All Players

After influencing Wimbledon to change its pay practices toward its women players, Buying Influence Inc. received notice that the French Open is following Wimbledon and changing its pay policies as they affect women tennis players. The French Tennis Federation made the decision to change its current pay practices as it affects men and women’s singles. “In 2007, the parity will be total,” federation president Christian Bimes said. Equalizing the pay will increase the winnings by 7.2 percent over last year, making the total purse $8.85 million. The winners of the singles’ matches will receive $1.68 million. Be sure to show your support and watch the French Open from May 27 – June 10, and make purchases from the French Open sponsors such as Perrier, LaCoste, Air France, Minolta, and Rolex.

Buying Influence Inc. Garners Support in Washington D.C.

Dr. Maria Kunstadter attended the National Council of Women’s Organizations annual meeting held in Washington D.C. During the conference, Congresswoman Malony, a democrat from New York, offered her assistance and support of Buying Influence Inc.’s mission and goals. “It is very helpful to have a legislative person on the front lines whom understands and is willing to fight for equal pay and equal rights for women,” states Dr. Kunstadter. “This meeting was very fruitful for us. We now have the interest of Ms. Magazine, the National Council of Women’s Organizations, and Congresswoman Malony’s office. These connections give us access to over 12 million consumers.” Dr. Kunstadter met with the executive director of the NCWO, Kimberly Otis, on a recent trip to Washington D.C. “We are very fortunate to have started the process of developing powerful, long-term relationships with the NCWO and Congresswoman Malony. We are becoming the source of directing consumerism, and will use this support to work on establishing equal pay everywhere.”


Maria Kunstadter - CEO and Founder Linda Eakes – Executive Director

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From Blue Hearts member and friend, Jessica Kerrigan. K


Dear Blue Hearts Members:

I just had what I am afraid is my last visit from my Parents as Teachers Parent Educator. She told me that Parents as Teachers is about to be completely reorganized under Superintendent Amato's new Universal Pre-K Initiative. It won't be Parents as Teachers at all anymore.

Under the Kansas City Missouri School District's Universal Pre-K initiative, the Parents as Teachers program is being rolled in with Early Childhood, Head Start, and Preschool. While Early Childhood, Head Start and Preschool are laudable programs, they are all focused on children ages 3 to 5, and some are only offered to low-income families. Parents as Teachers is the only program in the school district offered to ALL families regardless of income, and the ONLY one with emphasis on child development from birth to 3 years of age.

All Parents as Teachers Parent Educators are being terminated effective June 30. They may reapply to be "Family Support Workers" under the new program, but she said they will not be allowed to keep their same families. Why should Parent Educators who know the special personalities of the children they see, and who have built trust with a family, not be able to continue working with the families they have? And why should the emphasis shift away from birth to 3 when all the latest research shows that that is the crucial time to foster a child's development?

All three of my children have benefited from the Parents as Teachers program. From the handouts that let me know what to watch for in my daughters' next stage of development, to the simple games they showed us how to play, and the screening tests that let me know how my child was progressing, I am a better parent because of Parents as Teachers. If you have benefited from the support, advice, screening, or resources of Parents as Teachers, I encourage you to contact the Star and/or the school board to explain why this valuable resource should not be taken away.

Sincerely,

Jessica Kerrigan
jkerrigan@kc.rr.com


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Coalition Update

June 6, 2007

Dear Members:

With the closing of the 2007 legislative session, we would like to thank you for your help in the continued fight to ensure equal protection of stem cell research and cures in our great state.

Stem Cell Opponents Blocked in Legislative Session
Your Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures has been a formidable force in Jefferson City to counter the false claims and aggressive tactics employed by opponents of medical research and cures. This past session, research opponents Rep. Jim Lembke (R-St. Louis County) and Sen. Matt Bartle (R-Lee’s Summit) introduced House and Senate versions of a resolution aimed at placing on the 2008 statewide ballot a new measure to ban some stem cell research and eliminate all of the guarantees established by the Missouri Stem Cell Research and Cures Amendment, which voters approved last fall. This blatant power grab by opponents of medical research is a direct threat to our access to cures and would shut down promising research in Missouri while the rest of the country moves forward.

Fortunately, our efforts in Jefferson City and your help with legislators stopped these bills in their tracks. Rep. Lembke’s bill (HJR 11) was defeated in the House Rules Committee and Sen. Bartle could not even get enough support to hold a hearing on SJR 20 in the committee that he chairs! These are substantial victories for those who care about curing disease. Still, our opponents’ insist that they will continue their fight to overturn our rights guaranteed by the Stem Cell Amendment. We will remain vigilant in our fight against any such efforts.

Failure in the Legislature Forces Anti-Cures Camp to Pursue Signature Petition
Representatives of Missourians Against Human Cloning, the organization that led the campaign of mistruths and scare tactics against the passage of the Stem Cell Amendment last year, have said that if they failed to pass their resolution in the legislature, they would lead a signature petition drive to put their amendment on the 2008 statewide ballot.

Just as we did in the legislature, the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures is prepared to defend our right to medical research and treatments that other Americans can access. We anticipate that the anti-cures camp will gear up soon for a signature gathering effort.

Should this happen, we will need your support to spread the word to your family, friends and co-workers that we cannot allow opponents to overturn the equal access guarantees of the Stem Cell Amendment. We cannot let them restrict Missourians’ access to lifesaving research and cures for diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. We cannot give politicians the power to ban all stem cell research. It is wrong for our patients. It is wrong for our researchers. It is wrong for the future of our state. Everyone in Missouri must understand the importance of not signing such a disastrous petition.

Our victories in the 2007 General Assembly are not the end of this struggle to protect medical research and cures in Missouri. We must be prepared to fight on all fronts and protect the Stem Cell Research and Cures victory we achieved in November.

Our Coalition needs your continued support. Should you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail or call us. We would be happy to talk with you further about efforts to ensure Missourians have the access they deserve to medical research and cures.

The Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures
info@missouricures.com
1-800-829-4133