I love the wonderful, bitter irony of naming their ship "The Audacity of Hope" - a brilliant move on the organizers part.
Here's what people with a concern about the Palestinian people have been saying lately about the guy that rode that phrase into the White house:
http://counterpunch.org/fisk05312011.html
While Barack Obama and Benjamin Netanyahu played out their farce in Washington – Obama grovelling as usual – the Arabs got on with the serious business of changing their world, demonstrating and fighting and dying for freedoms they have never possessed. Obama waffled on about change in the Middle East – and about America's new role in the region. It was pathetic. "What is this 'role' thing?" an Egyptian friend asked me at the weekend. "Do they still believe we care about what they think?" - Robert Fisk
http://counterpunch.org/levine05302011.html
The time was therefore propitious for the United States to take a less servile course, and the visit of Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to Washington last week presented an ideal moment. Obama had yet another rare historical opportunity thrust upon him. True to form, he squandered it utterly. - Andrew Levine
http://counterpunch.org/cockburn05272011.html
Amid Obama's grandiose eloquence about freedom, he has effectively excluded Palestinians from his supportive embrace and, amid meaningless verbal froth, collapsed yet again in the face of Israeli intransigeance, and the Lobby here. - Alexander Cockburn
http://counterpunch.org/avnery05262011.html
NETANYAHU SPAT in Obama's eye... [h]e will pretend that the spittle on his cheek is rainwater. His promise to prevent a UN General Assembly recognition of the State of Palestine deprived him of his main leverage over Netanyahu - Uri Avnery
If you've missed any of these excellent articles, I urge you to read them.
I know it looks like I get all in information from Counterpunch. I ready as many articles I can reprinted on/and linked from OregonDems_etc and Progressive. I listen to National Propaganda Radio as long as I can stand, then I turn to Counterpunch for the bitter truth.
I didn't hear a word of criticism about Obama's speech on NPR - because both parties and all the major institutions in this country are united in the promotion of lies and propaganda about the special relationship and our fragrant pet in the Mid East.
Who knows how many of us dissent? We aren't counted, or consulted. But the vast, vast majority of the world sees the situation with clarity - and outrage.
"WE ARE UNARMED AND WE ARE SAILING"
On Anniversary of Mavi Marmara Killings, U.S. Boat to Gaza Announces Passenger List
http://ustogaza.org/
New York, NY-May 31, 2011. Organizers of the U.S. Boat to
Gaza announced today that they expect some 50 people will be
aboard The Audacity of Hope when it joins the second "freedom
flotilla" in late June to break the siege of Gaza.
The announcement came on the year's anniversary of the 2010
Israeli attack on unarmed passengers aboard the Mavi Marmara,
killing nine, including an 18-year old U.S. citizen of
Turkish descent.
Leslie Cagan, coordinator of the U.S. Boat to Gaza, said, "We
are sailing -- despite threats by the Israeli armed forces to
use attack dogs and snipers against us -- and despite frantic
diplomatic pressure by the Israeli government to prevent
other countries from allowing the flotilla to sail." She
commented that while Egypt has just opened the Rafah border
to Gaza, the maritime blockade and the Israeli siege of Gaza
still exist.
So far, 34 passengers and four crew members have confirmed
that they will be sailing on The Audacity of Hope. They range
in age from 22 to 87 years old and live in 14 states in every
region of the U.S. All are committed to non-violence. Members
of the press will also be on the boat.
Varied occupations are represented by the passengers,
including retired film producer, construction worker, retired
teacher and engineer, student, author, nurse, EMT,
firefighter, activist, jazz musician, retired military
personnel, professor social worker, and lawyer. More than half
the participants are women.
Passengers and crew will gather in Athens on June 21, 2011 in
advance of the anticipated sailing date, which will depend on
weather conditions and logistics.
The Audacity of Hope will carry as its cargo thousands of
letters of friendship and solidarity with the people of Gaza
from people throughout our country. Cagan said that
inspections of the boat and its passengers prior to departure
will prove the non-violent nature of the mission.
Richard Levy, attorney and passenger on The Audacity of Hope,
explained that "Because Israel occupies Gaza, and accordingly
has obligations under the Geneva Conventions, it cannot
legally blockade Gaza." Therefore, he continued, "attempts by
the Israeli government to prevent ships from going to Gaza
are equally illegal."
A list of confirmed passengers and crew is attached. Short
biographical statements from each of them can be found at
http://ustogaza.org/passengers-on-the-audacity-of-hope/
PASSENGERS ON THE AUDACITY OF HOPE
Nic Abramson - Woodstock, NY
Johnny Barber - Gallatin Gateway, MT
Medea Benjamin - Washington, DC
Greta Berlin - Los Angeles, CA
Hagit Borer - Los Angeles, CA
Regina Carey - San Rafael, CA
Gale Courey Toensing -Canaan, CT
Erin DeRamus - Portland, OR
Linda Durham - Sante Fe, NM
Debra Ellis - Santa Cruz, CA
Hedy Epstein - St. Louis, MO
Steve Fake - New Orleans, LA
Ridgely Fuller - Waltham, MA
Megan Horan - West Seattle, WA
Kathy Kelly - Chicago, IL
Kit Kittredge - Quilcene, WA
Libor Koznar - New Britain, CT
G. Kaleo Larson - Northern CA
Richard Levy - New York, NY
Richard Lopez - Tumwater, WA
Ken Mayers - Sante Fe, NM
Ray McGovern - Arlington, VA
Gail Miller - New York, NY
Robert Naiman - Urbana, IL
Henry Norr - Berkeley, CA
Ann Petter - New York, NY
Gabe Schivone- Tucson, AZ
Kathy Sheetz - Richmond, CA
Max Suchan - Chicago, IL
Brad Taylor - New York, NY
Len Tsou - New City, NY
Alice Walker - Northern CA
Paki Wieland - Northampton, MA
Ann Wright - Honolulu, HI
CREW OF THE AUDACITY OF HOPE
John Klusmire, captain
David Smith, engineer
Yonatan Shapira, mate
David Schermerhorn, mate
GET ON BOARD THE U.S. TO GAZA CAMPAIGN
VISIT WWW.USTOGAZA.ORG
TO ENDORSE AND CONTRIBUTE
Thank you for your support
Please distribute widely
--
I want to play in your town for you and 2 of your friends.
http://eventful.com/performers/matt-love-/P0-001-000156481-4/demands
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