[mpen-dayton4] FW: "Cross inside church tree trunk in Dayton" & "WE WON, WE WON, WE WON!" & "Former Klan leader found guilty in anti-Semitic murders" and more

FYI.     Best, Munsup

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P.P.S. "He who dares not offend cannot be honest" - Thomas Paine

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·         FW: Cross inside church tree trunk in Dayton

·         FW: Vigil for peace in Dayton?

·         FW: WE WON, WE WON, WE WON, WE WON, WE WON! (please read)

·         FW: Minds can be changed

·         FW: AIPAC vs. You?

·         FW: Every Vote Matters

·         FW: Democracy For All Video Challenge

·         FW: Wikipedia bans dishonest editing

·         FW: Former Klan leader found guilty in anti-Semitic murders

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From: lee seoh
Subject: Cross inside church tree trunk in Dayton

http://www.whio.com/news/news/sacred-symbol-found-inside-churchs-tree/nnTyX/

 

 

From: Matt, Justin K., Alejandro, Jo, Corinne, and the rest of the team, MoveOn.org Civic Action
Subject: Vigil for peace in Dayton?

Going into August, war hawks like Senator Ted Cruz boasted that overwhelming opposition at town halls across the country would derail the historic nuclear deal with Iran.¹

Boy, was he wrong. All through August, MoveOn members and our allies showed up at town halls and rallied outside of congressional offices. We made thousands of phone calls, and hundreds of thousands of us signed petitions. And now we're just a handful of votes away from ensuring that this deal passes through Congress in a few weeks.²

We are SO close. Now we need to get past the finish line. Next week, members of Congress will be back in Washington, preparing to take one of the most important votes of their careers. The first votes could come as early as next Thursday—and we need to be ready to send the message that voters across the country want peace and diplomacy instead of war.

That's why we're organizing Vigils for Peace and Diplomacy across the country next Thursday, September 10 at 6 p.m. local time. This could be our last chance to send this message loud and clear to Congress: Support peace and diplomacy over war and militarism.

Can you help organize a vigil in Dayton? Click here to get started.

Because you are one of MoveOn's most active members on this issue, we're reaching out to you first to see if you can help with our final wave of actions to support this deal. Just post an event at the link above, and our organizing team will connect you to other MoveOn members in your area and help you prepare for a great event.

As a nation, it seems like war is all we've known for the past 14 years.

But in the next few weeks, we have an amazing opportunity—to embrace diplomacy over war as a way to resolve our international differences. Our opponents are still spending millions on ads and even threatening to fund primary campaigns against those who support diplomacy—so we can't afford to let up one inch ahead of these critical upcoming votes.

We need someone to step up and help organize an event in Dayton. Can you help lead a Vigil for Peace and Diplomacy on September 10 at 6 p.m.?

Yes, I can help organize this event.

Sources:

1)     "Ted Cruz calls on grassroots to help him nuke the Iran deal," Dallas Morning News, July 28, 2015 http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=306717&id=131450-1195276-YOTu0Mx&t=4

2)     "Bust: Iran opponents' August fail," Politico, August 31, 2015 http://www.politico.com/story/2015/08/bust-iran

Want to support our work? MoveOn member contributions have powered our work together for more than 17 years. Hundreds of thousands of people chip in each year—which is why we're able to be fiercely independent, answering to no individual, corporation, politician, or political party. You can become a monthly donor by clicking here, or chip in a one-time gift here.

 

 

From: Chris Bowers; Executive Campaign Director, Daily Kos
Subject: WE WON, WE WON, WE WON, WE WON, WE WON! (please read)

WE WON!

After years of negotiations and ferocious opposition from right-wing war hawks, this morning President Obama secured enough support in the U.S. Senate to uphold the historic diplomatic agreement on Iran's nuclear program.

Add your name: Thank President Obama for giving peace a chance.

This wasn't easy. Several times over the past two years, Congress was on the brink of achieving a veto-proof majority to cut off the diplomatic process and take us on a path toward military confrontation.

However, along with a big coalition of allies, 244,885 members of the Daily Kos community--including you, Munsup Seoh--took more than one million actions--calls, emails, petition signatures, vigils and rallies--demanding that Congress peace a chance. Every time Congress almost took us down the road to war, these activists brought us back from the brink.

What they achieved was incredibly important. The war in Iraq left hundreds of thousands dead, created millions of refugees, cost trillions of dollars, and led to the horrifying rise of ISIS.

We just avoided doing that again. We never would have done it without President Obama, Secretary of State John Kerry, 34 Senate Democrats, our amazing anti-war allies, and hundreds of thousands of grassroots activists like you.

Sign the petition: Thank President Obama, Secretary of State John Kerry, 34 Senate Democrats, our amazing anti-war allies, and hundreds of thousands of grassroots activists like you for giving peace a chance.

 

 

From: Citizens for a Nuclear Free Iran
Subject: Minds can be changed

It's a vote that could alter the course of American history and shift the balance of nuclear arms worldwide.

Congress could vote on the bad Iran nuclear deal as soon as next week. Many senators and representatives have declared support for the flawed nuclear agreement, but it's not too late.

The American people are against this deal with Iran, and so is a bipartisan majority of Congress. But the deal might still go through unless we convince more members of Congress to change their minds.

The primary duty of members of Congress is to represent their constituents. Now is the time to urge Congress to listen to their constituents and reject a bad nuclear deal with Iran. Your members need to hear from you.

Make sure your voice is heard in Congress. Call your member before they vote!

It's not too late

 

 

From: Rabbi Joseph Berman; Government Affairs Liaison, JVP
Subject: AIPAC vs. You?

VICTORY: the Iran Deal is going to move ahead, but
AIPAC will come back stronger than ever.
Can you donate $18 right now to help us fight back?

Yesterday was a huge win -  but the next fight is already beginning.

Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) announced that she'll be supporting the Iran Deal -- despite AIPAC's best efforts to bully her into opposing it. Her statement takes us to 34 Senators who support diplomacy with Iran, all but guaranteeing that right-wing reactionaries in Congress can't force us into another war.

This is a huge victory that JVP staff and thousands of supporters have been relentlessly working for months to achieve. But AIPAC, Sheldon Adelson, and the rest of their friends are going to keep doing what they always do: raise huge sums to fight the Iran Deal right up until it's signed, and then go straight back to shoring up US support for ongoing Israeli human rights abuses.

That's why we need your help, Munsup. Yesterday, we launched our $50,000 summer match campaign and the response has been overwhelming -- over $15,000 raised in just 24 hours.

So we decided to really go for it. We set a new $75,000 goal --  and we're determined to smash it. We need to make sure AIPAC and the rest know: they don't speak for us, and they can't silence our voices.

In DC, I see AIPAC's influence firsthand everyday. They have armies of right-wing lobbyists who walk the halls of Congress shilling for war. But I also see that the tide is turning. Representatives, Senators, and staffers are desperate to hear our message of peace and human rights.

Your last $18 gift helped amplify that voice. Now, can you make that $18 donation today when we need it most?

In just the last month, JVP members like you have participated in some 40 JVP delegation visits with House and Senate offices in home districts, and not just with staff, but with Representatives and Senators themselves. You've spoken out at Town Hall meetings, in street demonstrations, and in the media. You've made tens of thousands of phone calls and have sent over 70,000 letters to your representatives in Congress.

In meeting after meeting, JVP members have heard the same message from Members of Congress—we need to hear your voice. Please. Speak even louder.

And that's what we have to do, because winning this fight was only the beginning. We've beaten AIPAC and Adelson on the Iran Deal, but we need to beat them again, because the next big fight is coming into focus. 

There's already talk of increasing military aid to Israel as a trade-off for the Iran deal -- as though Netanyahu needs a consolation prize for not getting his way. But the right way forward isn't to bow down to Netanyahu, it's to double down on our organizing for peace and justice.

Help us build on this historic victory with a $18 donation today.

We proudly stood with dozens of progressive and interfaith organizations to organize in support of the Iran Deal. But we brought a unique message: that standing for peace is a Jewish value. That the American Jewish community is not squarely behind Netanyahu. That the U.S. must not increase military aid to Israel that we know is going to be used against Palestinians.

Megadonors like Sheldon Adelson don't want us to spread that message, so they're raking in big bucks to try and silence us. We need the resources to fight back, and we need you.

Our tireless staff and members stretch every gift to the absolute max. Your last $18 donation helped get us to this point. Can you chip in $18 now - matched dollar-for-dollar instantly -- and help us fight back?

"It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it," from the book of Pirkei Avot, is one of my favorite quotes from Jewish religious texts. I think it applies to most things in life, but it's particularly applicable to our struggle for peace and justice.

It is not our duty to complete the work, but neither are we free to desist from it. I'm not going anywhere. Are you?

 

 

From: Robert A. Cohen, AIPAC President
Subject: Every Vote Matters

Over the past many months, as details of the proposed nuclear deal with Iran have emerged, you have stood on the front lines. Facing one of the most significant challenges in our movement's history, your persistent activism — through personal meetings, frequent phone calls, and regular emails to members of Congress — has helped shape the national discourse and illuminate the dangers of this deal.

Today, we know that the Senate will not override a presidential veto of legislation that will disapprove the nuclear deal with Iran. However, we also know now that once the votes are tallied, a bipartisan majority of America's representatives in Congress will oppose this deal.

Your hard work over the past few months has made — and continues to make — an undeniable difference at this critical moment. In addition to the majority of Congress disapproving the deal, we also know that:

• In poll after poll after poll, the American public overwhelmingly opposes this deal.
• The vast majority of the organized American Jewish community, including the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee and numerous Jewish federations in cities across the United States, as well as hundreds of rabbis across all major Jewish denominations, all oppose this deal.
• Beyond the Jewish community, prominent leaders from the Christian, Hispanic, African-American, veteran and LGBT communities have been outspoken in opposition to this deal.

These facts speak volumes about our collective efforts, our sound arguments, and our unwavering determination to reach a better outcome.

Now, days before the congressional vote, I'm writing to ask you to keep fighting for a better deal.

The battle to prevent a nuclear-capable Iran is far from over. Ensuring the largest possible bipartisan rejection of this agreement will establish the strongest possible foundation for the Iran policy debate still to come, and will ensure a robust congressional role in that process.

Many members of Congress are still undecided. We must continue to engage them and make our case. We must press our elected officials to insist on a better deal until every vote is cast.

Please pick up the phone and call your members of Congress. Urge them to consider the historic ramifications of this decision. And ask that they oppose this deal to preserve the safety of America, Israel and our allies around the world.

 

 

From: Rio Tazewell;  Government By the People Campaign Coordinator, People For the American Way
Subject: Democracy For All Video Challenge

We have our first winner!

Yesterday, we awarded the first $1,000 weekly prize in the $64,000 Democracy For All Video Challenge.

The first winning video is a spoken-word rap that ties corruption in the chemical industry to lobbying and campaign contributions that hijack the political system from everyday Americans and was submitted by Chemical Free Papi (aka Ruben Diaz of Oakland, California).

A committed activist, Chemical Free Papi didn't need sophisticated equipment or a sound stage to get his message across.

In his own words:

Before making this video, what experience did you have making videos?

I've only made a couple of videos, prior to this one. Generally, what I do is look for inspiration online by watching other videos and gathering ideas. I made this using my iPhone and a couple of apps. The Democracy For All "Inspiration" page also helped a whole lot!

Before this contest, did you know about the Democracy For All amendment?

No, I did not. Just by watching the other super motivational videos on your site, I learned more than I would've by reading any press release, article, or report. These videos were made by real people for real people.

There you have it. "By real people for real people" -- just like our democracy should be.

Watch the first winning video, "It's a Wrap for Citizens United," here>>

We'll have new $1,000 prize winners every week … so what are you waiting for?

Get moving on creating YOUR video entry today!

And let anyone else you know who cares about the problem of money in politics and might be interested in making a video know about this contest.

Remember: weekly prize winners are still eligible for the grand prize of $25,000 for best video at the end of the contest, as well as the $5,000 prize for best in a given category.

And if your video is not chosen as the weekly winner shortly after you entered it, it will still eligible for a weekly prize for the duration of the contest -- so there's plenty of incentive to keep promoting it and racking up those views (one of the judging criteria).

 

 

From: Andrew Tierman
Subject: FW: Wikipedia bans dishonest editing

see  http://www.pcworld.com/article/2978130/websites/wikipedia-blocks-381-user-accounts-for-dishonest-editing.html
...more specifics?  politics, oil & coal, niche ideologies???

Wikipedia bans 381 user accounts for dishonest editing
Wikimedia said the "black hat" accounts were engaged in "undisclosed paid advocacy"

John Ribeiro; IDG News Service; Sep 1, 2015 4:38 AM

Editors of the English version of Wikipedia have blocked 381 user accounts for editing articles on the online encyclopedia despite being secretly paid to do so by various interests.

The  editors also deleted 210 articles created by the accounts. Most of these were generally promotional in nature and were related to businesses, people in business or artists. The articles had biased information, unattributed material and potential copyright violations, the Wikimedia Foundation that runs Wikipedia said in a blog post Monday.

The foundation said it believed the edits were made by one coordinated group because of their similarity. 

Wikipedia has been struggling for a long time against so-called sockpuppet accounts, which often can be multiple accounts used by a single editor to mislead and deceive other editors. Content in the encyclopedia is created, edited and maintained by a large number of voluntary editors, but the model has proven to have limitations, including allowing the editing of information by people who are secretly paid to do so by external interests.

In 2013, for example, it said that an investigation by the English Wikipedia community into suspicious edits and sockpuppet activity had found that a large U.S. consulting company had created, edited, or maintained thousands of Wikipedia articles for paying clients. The firm had used concealed user accounts, Wikimedia said.

The 381 accounts now blocked by Wikipedia's volunteer editors were charged with "undisclosed paid advocacy".

In June last year, Wikimedia changed its terms of use to ban editing for pay, without disclosing an employer or affiliation, on any of its websites.

Editors of Wikipedia are now required to disclose their employer or client or any affiliation from which they receive a compensation. Such editors with a conflict of interest are advised not to edit articles in which they would have an interest as a result.

Wikipedia editors are referring to the current case as Orangemoody after the first sockpuppet identified in the investigation.

 

 

From: Southern Poverty Law Center
Subject: Former Klan leader found guilty in anti-Semitic murders

Neo-Nazi Frazier Glenn Miller guilty in anti-Semitic murders

A jury this week found former Klan leader Frazier Glenn Miller guilty of killing three people during an anti-Semitic rampage in Kansas last year. Miller and his followers once plotted to assassinate SPLC founder Morris Dees after our lawsuit shut down his heavily armed paramilitary group.
READ MORE

 

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