Have You Taken The McCain-Bush Challenge?

May 29, 2008

Volunteers for MoveOn moved into the streets of my neighborhood yesterday. They were busy asking residents if they would take the McCain-Bush Challenge. That's a quick 5-question quiz that tests a person's knowledge of "the difference between Bush and McCain."

The MoveOn campaign "Take the McCain-Bush Challenge" tests people knowledge of the differences or similarities between the current president and the GOP's pretender to the throne.

Now just hold on a minute! I've been operating on the understanding that McCain was just a mere clone of Bush. In fact, I've taken to calling him McBush. Turns out that there are differences: on many issues he's, if you can imagine this, even worse than Bush!

Out on the streets of Park Slope, in Brooklyn, MoveOn members asked passersby to participate in the McCain-Bush Challenge.

You can take the McCain-Bush Challenge, and see for yourself.

In case you think you knew everything there is to know about John McCain, here's one of the questions:

Q: Who promised that U.S. troops would be greeted as "liberators" in Iraq?

A: McCain. (Dick Cheney said that, too. In fact, McCain is more of a Bush-Cheney hybrid. Which is a pretty scary thought.)

On a serious note, it's important to be well-armed on McCain's voting record. His slick PR is designed to present him as a moderate and an independent maverick - one who doesn't tow the GOP line on the crucial issues of the day. In reality, he's one of the most conservative members of the Senate. On each and every question of war (gung ho and would take us to war with Iran in a heartbeat), the environment (received a score of zero from the League of Conservation Voters), the housing crisis (he said the solution to the housing crisis is for people facing foreclosure to get a “second job” and skip their vacations! By the way, he owns nine houses!!) he's as bad or worse than Bush.

Q: Who said "I do not support Roe versus Wade. It should be overturned"? A: McCain. In fact, John McCain has gotten a rating of zero percent from NARAL Pro-Choice America for 6 years running.

MoveOn has taken a popular and light-hearted approach to exposing the real John McCain. Light-hearted it might be but the truth brought out by their Challenge quiz is this: McCain is a clear and present danger to our health and to the future of our country and world. Take the McCain/Bush Challenge and have your friends and family) who might be confused by the Republican spin) take it also. Click here to take the Challenge.

M*A*S*H* Comes To Brooklyn

May 27, 2008

Actor and activist, Mike Farrell, - the loveable B.J. Hunnicutt of TV's M*A*S*H*, came to Brooklyn last night. The occasion was the Spring fundraiser for Brooklyn For Peace.

On one of those beautiful and balmy Spring evenings, close to eighty BFP supporters gathered at a Dekalb Avenue hot spot, the South African Madiba Restaurant. They came to dine, drink and socialize and to listen to Farrell, author of a new book, Just Call Me Mike, talk about his views on questions of peace and social justice. These are issues dear to BFP members and friends as they continue to demand an end to the war in Iraq, to prevent a new war in Iran and to fight for a more just society at home.

Madiba Restaurant on Brooklyn's Dekalb Avenue, is a hot, multi-cultural restaurant featuring South African cuisine.

Registered guests are checked in at BFP's Spring Fundraiser at Madiba Restaurant.

Molly Nolan of BFP's Israel-Palestine Committee and BFP's Co-Chair, David Tykulsker, worked hard to make the fundraiser a huge success. Thanks!

Eleanor Preiss (center), BFP's Treasurer, put in many hours that guaranteed the success of the evening at Madiba. Thanks, Eleanor!

David Tykulsker, Co-Chair of the organization, began the evening by greeting the guests and reviewing some of the recent work of Brooklyn For Peace. From its Iraq Committee's work against the war to the Israel-Palestine Committee's work for peace in the Mideast to the counter-recruitment activities in local high schools carried out by BFP's Anti-Militarism Committee, Tykulsker depicted an organization deeply involved in community work for peace and justice.

David Tykulsker, Co-Chair of Brooklyn For Peace, greets the crowd at the Spring Fundraiser at Madiba Restaurant.

Next up was the very entertaining and very funny Dave Lippman who kept the crowd in stitches as he portrayed George Shrub, the singing CIA agent. Lobbing rapid-fire missives and malaprops, Lippman satirized and skewered George Bush and his disastrous policies to the delight of the audience.

Dave Lippman as George Shrub, singing CIA agent, entertains at the Brooklyn For Peace Spring fundraiser at Madiba Restaurant.

Following Lippman, Rusti Eisenberg, Co-Chair of Brooklyn For Peace, gave a summary of the fight in Congress to end the war in Iraq. Talking about the historic "no" vote against funding that passed the House several weeks ago, she called on people to keep the pressure on Congress because the Senate reversed that decision and granted Bush the money to continue the war.

Rusti Eisenberg, Co-Chair of Brooklyn For Peace - "I know it seems that you've been calling Congress more often than you call your best friends. But it's time to call again."

Part of the crowd attending BFP's Spring Fundraiser at Madiba Restaurant.

Finally, the evening's guest, Mike Farrell, took the mic. Farrell has mixed a successful career in film and TV with an unbending dedication to social activism. He was in the forefront of struggles for peace and against repression in Latin America and has been a leader in the fight to abolish the death penalty. He told the audience that he sees human rights as the common thread that connects the movement for peace in Iraq with questions such as opposition to the death penalty and a desire to save our world from enviornmental disaster. His remarks were well received and a question and answer period followed his talk. Farrell also took time out to personally sign copies of his new book that were distributed and sold at the dinner.

Mike Farrell speaks and takes questions from the audience.

Farrell: "Human rights is the common thread that runs through all the struggles for peace, justice, saving the environment...."

Guests overflowed the main dining room at BFP's Spring Fundraiser at Madiba Restaurant.

Brooklyn For Peace successfuly mixed dining, drink, socializing and politics at its Spring Fundraiser at Madiba Restaurant.

The Spring Fundraiser was a huge success. It brought together friends and fellow peace activists in a cozy and sociable surrounding. And it raised money - not an unimportant matter - that will enable Brooklyn For Peace to continue the fight for a better world.

By the way, Mike Farrell wrote up his experience in Brooklyn in his own blog on the Huffington Post.

Read it here: Mike's Blog and then scroll down to "DAY SIXTEEN, May 26, 2008."

Supersize Brooklyn - Residents Say Fughedabout It!

May 3, 2008

The more things change, the more they seem to stay the same. Take the plans for the Ratner mega-development in downtown Brooklyn for example. When residents rose up to oppose a similar scandal at the site of the Brighton Beach Baths in the early to mid 90's, the developer, Alexander Muss & Sons, stopped at nothing to push his development to completion. The community was overwhelmingly opposed to Muss's Brighton By the Sea. Congestion, out-of-scale buildings (the original proposal called for buildings of 50 stories which would have made them the tallest in the borough), overloading of the sewers, subways and other services were among the objections of the residents. But Muss, who was responsible for the wall of skyscrapers along Collins Avenue in Miami beach, and had that same vision for Brooklyn's shoreline, used bully tactics, the power of his money and connections to his political cronies to try and get his way.

Which brings me back to today. In a fashion reminiscent of Muss, Bruce Ratner has tried to force his distorted vision of Brooklyn down the throats of residents in Park Slope, Prospect Heights and Fort Greene. His plan would build a wall of sun-blocking skyscrapers that would separate some of Brooklyn's most beautiful and historic neighborhoods from each other; communities that are beloved for their low-rise and historic character. In addition to those 16 over-towering high-rises he would install a stadium at the junction of Atlantic Avenue and Flatbush, already the city's most congested intersection. This $4 billion project would use close to $2 billion of public money (our money!) and abuse the state's power of eminent domain by taking private property and handing it over to the billionaire developer for enormous profits.

Asking the Governor to stop the plunder of our neighborhood.

A broad coalition of neighborhood groups and organizations under the leadership of Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn (DDDB) has led the fightback to protect the neighborhoods. At stake is not only questions of congestion, out-of-scale development and destruction of historic, low-rise neighborhoods but also the negative effects of gentrification with its inevitable disappearance of affordable housing due to escalating rents. With Ratner's luxury towers setting the pace for development in the surrounding area, poor people, working people, people of moderate incomes will be forced from the neighborhood as more affluent people move in. This is not conjecture. It's fact - just look across the river to Manhattan and all around Brooklyn right now to see it in action right before our eyes!

Recent downturns in the economy have prompted statements from the developer that only the arena could be built presently. The other elements, he said, including promises of jobs, affordable components as part of the luxury high-rises would be put on hold indefinately. Further, Ratner demanded that the public fork over even more subsidies on top of the $2 billion already estimated to be provided, if the development was to proceed. What chutzpah!

It was in light of those uncertainties that hundreds of residents turned out today at the site of the development to demand that Governor David Paterson call a "time out" on Ratner's Atlantic Yards. Speakers, including Councilwoman Letitia "Tish" James, State Senator Velmenette Montgomery and Councilman David Yassky addressed the crowd. James said it was a scandal that billions would be given to a private developer while funds for our public schools were being drastically cut. Yassky said it was time for the community to finally be heard and listened to. Montgomery thanked DDDB and the others who have kept community protest alive during all these years. "You are the reason that this project will eventually go away," she said.

People's Councilwoman Tish James gets the applause of Chris Owens who MC'd the event.

Entertainment was provided by the Manson Family Picnic (above) and Scott Turner.


Scott Turner, of Fans For Fair Play, sings a song of fair play for Brooklyn residents.

Chris Owens, community activist and President of the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats, MC'd the event and led the crowd in loud and boisterous cheers of "Time out! Time out! Time out!" that could be heard for blocks.

Hearkening back to the nefarious tactics of Muss, the developer imported counter-demonstrators to harass and intimidate the residents. But they were kept at bay by police and their presence did little to dampen the spirits of the Brooklynites who assembled to protect their communities. How ironic and sad to see some unions and workers promised jobs by Ratner(which now seem to be evaporating as quickly as Ratner's other promises). Can't they see that to side with a billionaire developer against a community striving to safeguard its rights is the wrong side? As the old union song asked - "Which side are you on?" Ratner is no friend of workers. That's for sure.

Imported counter-demonstrators are kept at a distance by police.

Muss eventually had to compromise. But before the community could force him to back off he demolished a beloved, old neighborhood asset: the Brighton Baths. Eventually he was forced to compromise. He still built his buildings but at a much lower level thanks to the unending opposition of the surrounding neighborhoods. Even though he refuses to bend, the same fate faces Mr. Ratner as the opposition to his ill-fated and scandal-ridden plans continues to grow and grow. This battle ain't over by a long shot. The people of Brooklyn refuse to live in Ratner's shadow.

WANT TO SEE MORE?
For a slide show of photos of today's rally just CLICK HERE.

For a gallery of photos, CLICK HERE.