Tibetan Crackdown Demands an International Response

In the United States we take for granted freedoms and privileges which people around the world are struggling to attain for themselves. Among these freedoms is the right of assembly, the right to the exercise of free speech, the freedom of travel and the right to self-determination. These freedoms were hard won through the struggle for equal rights, which is continuing to this day.

These freedoms that we have are not perfect, and the history of our exercise in democracy is not perfect. A simple examination of the legacy of racism and slavery provides a clear example of the denial of these freedoms almost to this day. The treatment of native americans, immigrants, women, people of color and other minorities clearly illustrates that the rights and privileges enshrined in our constitution and body of law are not guaranteed, but must be fought for, often in the face of years or even decades of difficult, painful struggle. In spite of this analysis, the fact is that there is a path to self-determination and human rights. We as a nation are at our best when we are promoting human rights and basic democratic freedoms.

In March, there was an event that happened halfway around the world, which is beginning to awaken international consciousness. High on the plain of the Indian subcontinent on the tallest elevated plateau in the world on some of the most beautiful land on earth a deeply spiritual nation called Tibet asserted its right to freedom, to self determination, to autonomy and to basic democratic rights. Tibet has been an occupied nation for nearly half a century. Annexed by China during the reign of Mao, Tibet has suffered numerous and grievous human rights abuses during the occupation by China. Tens of thousands of Tibetans have been killed. Thousands have been jailed and disappeared. The government of Tibet has been sent into exile and the spiritual center of Tibet, the Dalai Lama, has lived in exile for most of his life.

Here in the United States we benefit to a large extent from our relations with China, and it is time for us to call in some favors. China has benefited from its economic relationship with the west, which is driving its economic rebirth and steps toward modernization and development. This growth is driven by cheap goods, massive industrialization, international trade agreements and economic liberalization. In spite of this economic liberalization, China is still riddled with the contradictions of centralized state control and the basic denial of human rights, which comes out of the framework of centralized state control.

In the United States we have a moral responsibility to speak out for the people who cannot speak for themselves. Right now, the people of Tibet are suffering terribly for wanting their basic human rights. They want to worship in a manner suitable to their culture. They want the freedom of assembly and the right to free speech. They want political autonomy from China. They want to live free from the fear of being tortured and imprisoned for expressing dissent. We have a responsibility to listen to these thousands of monks and ordinary citizens calling for freedom.

As a candidate for federal office, I would like to urge you to take steps to let China know that the people of Tibet deserve basic human rights. If China does not call off its troops, release prisoners who have been imprisoned simply for expressing their desire for freedom, reinstate the Dalai Lama as the cultural and spiritual leader of Tibet, and grant Tibet autonomy within China, then we will not buy products made in China.

I would encourage you to look at where the next cheap product you buy is made, and if it is made in China, then I would encourage you not to buy it, until China grants Tibet basic human rights. Additionally, as a federal candidate I support a boycott of official US participation in the 2008 Olympics. The people of Tibet have spoken, and it is time for us to listen. Through non-violent methods we have the tools and resources to pressure China to move into the twenty first century. China is enthusiastic to show the world her material progress. It is up to us to help nudge China toward democratic progress as well.

If you are in Nashville I would like to encourage you to attend a rally for human rights in Tibet this Sunday, March 30th at 1pm at the Nashville Courthouse. The rally, entitled “One Human Race,” is a response to recent reports of violence in Tibet that began on March 10th – a day known to Tibetans as Uprising Day, when the country revolted in 1959 against the Chinese invasion of 1950. News reports have suggested that the violence in Tibetan and Chinese provinces comes at a time when China is working expeditiously to portray a clean image for the upcoming summer Olympics in Beijing.

But the social unrest paints a different picture, calling the world’s attention to a brutal decades-long history of Chinese rule in Tibet, in which approximately 1.3 million Tibetans (1/5th of the population) have died due to violence and starvation. Nashville’s “One Human Race” rally will emphasize the need for basic human rights in Tibet, and a negotiated settlement between the Dalai Lama and Chinese leaders that will result in a meaningful autonomy for the Tibetan people. The rally will also call for dignity, justice and equality for all people in all lands.

“One Human Race” will gather together Nashville-area artists, activists, and educators to rally for religious and cultural freedom in Tibet and beyond. Speakers from various faith communities will unite together to share stories and poems by Tibetan exiles, and call for social justice. Activities will include meditation, prayer, information-exchange, art for kids and adults, dance and music. Parking will be available on the street and in the Courthouse garage (free on Sundays). This event is supported by Project Giving Justice, Tropic Heat Studios, Blue Moves Modern Dance Company, Homeless Power Project and members of the Nashville Peace Coalition and Peace and Justice Center.

Following the rally, THE CRY OF THE SNOW LION, a film about Tibet, will be shown on Sunday, March 30 at 7PM at Cafe Outloud, 1707 Church St., Nashville. The film will be followed by a discussion led by Ngawang Losel.

For more information:
http://www.myspace.com/onehumanracejustice, onehumanrace.justice@gmail.com, (615) 469-2584 (Office) or (615) 512-0161 (Dan Beck/cell)

Women Deserve the Right to Choose

By: Chris Lugo

The federally protected right for women to choose to have an abortion is facing the greatest threat to its continued existence since it was implemented in 1973. History shows that women's rights to the autonomy of their bodies and their right to privacy is fundamental to women's progress. States are attempting to do an end run around the federal government by passing anti-choice legislation in lieu of expectant Supreme Court decisions regarding federal protections for women. According to the Feminist Majority, nine states may have anti-abortion measures on the ballot this November. These so-called "personhood initiatives" threaten not only abortion, but also certain methods of birth control.

Last year the Freedom of Choice Act was introduced into the US Senate, this act states that it is the policy of the United States that every woman has the fundamental right to choose to bear a child, to terminate a pregnancy prior to fetal viability, or to terminate a pregnancy after fetal viability when necessary to protect the life or health of the woman. This is the type of legislation that is necessary in order to ensure that women's rights are protected in this society. With a politically stacked Supreme Court leaning toward invalidating Roe with decisions such as the abortion ban in Gonzales vs. Carhart, it is clear that the Supreme Court does not care about the health and safety of women.

This is why the federally protected right for women to choose must remain a federal right. This is why it matters who you elect to federal office. The current anti-woman policies have been the direct result of years of ideologically driven legislation dictated by neo-conservative ideology which is rooted in archaic principles regarding the role and status of women as child-bearers and homemakers. The recent anti-abortion ruling in Gonzales vs. Carhart already puts the health and safety of women at risk, and this is only the beginning if we do not elect representatives who will uphold the rights of women. The right to a safe and legal abortion is being chipped away and it is essential to act now to preserve women's rights and women's lives.

I believe that a woman's right to choose is a fundamental right of women, therefore, as a candidate I promise that I will work to do everything in my power to keep abortion safe and legal for all women, not just those in 'safe states' where abortion would be kept legal. Additionally, I will work to ensure that abortion remain a federal right, and that poor women have access to federal dollars in the event of need which is a right many women have not had access to for many years. I will also support affirmative action and equal opportunity for women at all levels of employment, both in government and in the private economy.

Vigil Marking the 4,000th US Soldier Killed in Iraq

Vigil Marking the 4,000th US Soldier Killed in Iraq

Nashville, TN: On Sunday, March 23rd the grim milestone of 4,000 US soldiers killed in Iraq was reached when four US soldiers were killed by an IED in Baghdad. In memory of this event I will be joining members of the Nashville Peace Coalition in front of the Federal Building on Monday, March 24th from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm to remember the all those killed in the war, including an estimated 89,000 Iraqis according to the website Iraq Body Count, although the truth is that no one knows exactly how many Iraqis have been killed and some estimates are as are as high as 600,000 to 1.1 million people.

I have participated in vigils to mark the milestone of every 1,000 US soldiers killed on three occasions since the start of the Iraqi occupation and have also helped to organize vigils and demonstrations to call for an end to the war in Iraq and a withdrawal of US armed forces. As a member of the Nashville Peace Coalition I recently participated in three events to mark the five year anniversary of the war in Iraq, including a protest on the visit of President Bush to Opryland on March 11th, a peace rally at Bicentennial Mall on March 15th and a street protest coordinated by Moveon.org on the actual anniversary of the start of the war on March 19th.

It is particularly sad that we have been so busy these past two weeks. I wish that our actions alone could bring an end to this war but it is going to take the concerted will of the Congress to reverse the terrible decision of the Bush administration to lead us to war. We must elect people who will speak out for peace and against war. As a candidate for federal office I support a federal level department of peace and nonviolence. I support a drastic reduction in the military budget and an immediate withdrawal of all US armed forces from Afghanistan and Iraq. It seems particularly sad that we have reached this milestone. I had hoped that it wouldn't come, but it has and I am going to be standing in front of the federal building to memorialize this occasion along with other concerned citizens of middle Tennessee.

I am proud to be a member of the Nashville Peace Coalition which has been working diligently for seven years to promote alternatives to violence, war and occupation. The peace coalition is made of representatives of Veterans for Peace, the Nashville Peace and Justice Center, Peace Roots Alliance as well as supporters of the Democratic party, the Green Party and members of various faith traditions all working together for peace. As a member of the Nashville Peace Coalition I will not be standing on the street on Monday to make a political statement. Instead I will be standing in vigil, remembering those who have been killed, both American and Iraqi and calling for congress to bring the troops home now.

Chris Lugo withdraws from Democratic Primary Race

Declares Intention to Run Independent or Green Party

Nashville, TN: US Senate candidate Chris Lugo has announced that he is withdrawing his candidacy from the democratic primary race August 7th in Tennessee and will instead run as an independent candidate or seek the Green Party nomination at their convention May 3rd in Nashville. Calling his campaign a referendum on the war, Lugo said that the democrats are sitting on the fence and he didn't think that continuing to run as a democrat would be a good fit for his campaign. "I am running for office because I want to end the war in Iraq. It is time to bring the troops home and acknowledge the terrible injustice that we have caused. It is time to stop rationalizing our wasteful military spending and abuse of the national trust in the name of a war that never should have happened. We have lost too many good people with no clear objective. We are basically repeating the mistakes of Vietnam."

Lugo said that after running as a democrat for three months his sense was that they are not ready to end the war. "Personally I think the democrats are in a better position to do some good than the republicans, but I don't think the democrats are ready yet to do the right thing. I had hoped that by running I might help push the dialogue on the peace issue, but the democrats didn't really seem to be interested. So I am going to go back to my roots as a progressive and seek the nomination of the green party which has a stronger position on the issue of peace and a generally more progressive platform all around."

According to a recent poll, about 47% of Americans say that the we should stay the course in Iraq, citing the need to stay and take care of the situation that has been created by ongoing US occupation. In contrast, Lugo feels that the troops should be withdrawn immediately. "I was listening to General Abizaid speak this week at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. He was talking about our need to protect America by being in Iraq. This is the basic problem. We are not protecting America by occupying Iraq. Iraq did not attack the United States. We attacked them. If anything we have made ourselves more insecure by occupying Iraq. We have created wounds that will take generations to heal. We have made enemies who will not forget us in their lifetime."

Citing a lack of interest in the peace issue within the democratic party, Lugo said that he was going in a different direction. "I am all for dialogue and debate on the issues, but it seems clear to me that the democratic party is not on board regarding this issue. For me the war is a moral issue of profound significance. I don't think that we can remain in Iraq and consider ourselves to be a moral nation or a righteous country. We have already violated international law and basic decency by attacking a country that was significantly weaker than us and occupying it with no clear mandate. I don't think the democratic party in Tennessee sees this issue the same way I do."

Lugo said that he wishes democratic front runner Bob Tuke all the best and looks forward to an opportunity to debate him and Lamar Alexander during the election season. "I have filed my papers as an independent candidate and will seek the Green Party nomination. I look forward to an opportunity to debate Tuke or Alexander on issues like universal single payer health care, bringing the troops home now, reducing the military budget, dismantling weapons of mass destruction or taking significant steps right now to reduce global warming. I think Tennesseans deserve the opportunity to hear from all the candidates and then cast their vote once they have made the most informed decisions possible."

Let's Bring the Troops Home Now

By: Chris Lugo

In a recent poll, a sobering 47% of Americans said that we should stay the course in Iraq, reasoning that now that our troops are there, we need to stay. Most responded by saying that if we pull out it will be a disaster for the Iraqi people. Americans feel this way in spite of the facts regarding the ongoing occupation of Iraq. The truth is that an overwhelming majority of Iraqis want Americans out of Iraq now. The security that we are providing in Iraq is mostly for our own service members. Most of the tax dollars that we spend on Iraqi security goes to protecting convoy lines, building and supplying military bases and paying for resources that we are expending funds on specifically because we are there.

March 19th marks the fifth anniversary of the ongoing occupation of Iraq. It has been nearly as long since president Bush stood on the deck of an aircraft carrier with the words 'mission accomplished' boldly printed on a banner behind him. Since that time nearly 4,000 Americans have died in Iraq and tens of thousands have been injured. No one knows exactly how many Iraqis have been killed. Some estimates are as low as 100,000 and some estimates are as high as 600,000 people. What we do know is that we have turned Iraq into a living hell where people get blown to bits while trying to go shopping, get shot by private contractors while driving down the street, get tortured by American military personnel after being caught up in security sweeps and watch neighbor kill neighbor over sectarian concerns bubbling from below the surface of extreme poverty, suffering and trauma.

The Iraqi war is a shameful war and one of the worst policy decisions of the contemporary era. As the United States teeters on the brink of depression and watches its currency value plummet we continue to waste our national treasury on a war that was based on the pretext of weapons of mass destruction that never existed. It is time for Americans to come to terms with the reality of what we have done. Those who supported the war and voted for it followed the foolish emotionalism generated by the current administration after the traumatic experience of the Sept. 11th attacks. It is time for us to admit that the war was really an act of vengeance, a blind lashing out at some Arab nation as retribution for the lives lost in 2001.

The Bush administration understood the pain and the anger of the American people, and chose to manipulate us for the economic advantage of a few private corporations who have received the lion's share of contracts worth hundreds of billions of dollars. The President has betrayed the trust of the American people, the armed services and the international community. Opposition to the continuation of the war has become a moral issue. Shortly after the American invasion of Iraq, in a rare admission of dissent in the American public, the President said you are either with the ‘us’ or you are with the terrorists. In hindsight, it is clear that Bush and his cronies are the ones who are at odds with the American people and the democratic traditions of this nation.

The Iraqi war will be remembered as the defining international conflict of the first decade of the 21st century. The verdict is already out on this occupation and we are the losers. We have lost our honor. We unilaterally attacked a nation which had not attacked us and had not declared war on us. We imprisoned their citizens and tortured them. We dropped bombs on their houses and murdered their children. We spent hundreds of billions of dollars and accepted the lies of our President and his administration. We have lost our soul as a nation. It is time to restore our fallen honor and reconcile ourselves to the evil that we have done out of fear and a desire for retribution. Only then can we begin to truly live up to the promise of what our nation can be. It is time to bring the troops home and end the occupation of Iraq.