Muffin Bottoms [not] Just another WordPress weblog

I thought archiving Twitter activity, (at least my end of it) would be historically helpful maybe.

I’ll try to do this over at LiveJournal too.

cheers,

marco

Shira Lazar interviewed the brand new Energy Secretary last night and hundreds of us helped her in realtime! http://muffinbottoms.org/?p… about 20 hours ago from web

Thanks @nmhall for second sourcing the Guantanamo stories. about 21 hours ago from web

Breaking: [Is this for reals? Anyone got a second source yet?] Judge approves Obama’s order suspending anything new at Gitmo for 120 days. about 23 hours ago from web

@remaerdyaD my only real complaint about the iFone is how locked into apps you are. Hafta see what the Pre lets you do “outside the box” about 23 hours ago from web in reply to remaerdyaD

RT @JayOatway Chinese censors removing communism reference from Obama’s inauguration speech: http://is.gd/gFNb [and favored nation why?] about 23 hours ago from web

@Jason_Pollock you rocked it, btw. 11:06 PM Jan 20th from web in reply to Jason_Pollock

@mjb nah, stay in for it bro. Don’t back down now. Be like Gracie Slik’s date, Abbie Hoffman in 68. hehehehe #inaug #inaug09 #obama 10:49 PM Jan 20th from web in reply to mjb

RT @sarahkatheryn Police telling us now 10 at a time can go in #youthball 10:45 PM Jan 20th from web

Oh, btw: http://angryjournalist.com #inaug #inaug09 #obama 10:13 PM Jan 20th from web

Livevideo from one of the balls. http://shrinkster.com/13uf #inaug #inaug09 #obama 10:10 PM Jan 20th from web

@shanselman this is live stream from one of the 10 balls but some of the technology might interest you. http://shrinkster.com/13uf 10:08 PM Jan 20th from web in reply to shanselman

RT @TheOnion BREAKING: Drunk Bush Crashes Inauguration Ball Wearing Only Texas Flag 9:11 PM Jan 20th from web

RT @teepoole http://twitpic.com/15cak – Garlic gnocchi [mmm…] 9:07 PM Jan 20th from web

RT @ekai It took 8 years, I captured the moment Bush finally left DC: http://www.flickr.com/photo… 8:57 PM Jan 20th from web

I’m watching Shira Lazar facilitate a really great chatstream & video linkup at: http://tinyurl.com/9ldrao 8:42 PM Jan 20th from web

Wow, RT @Pistachio Anyone else perceive a slightly sudden sense of being unlocked from the sludge of 9/11? — good point! 8:35 PM Jan 20th from web

@shiralazar Good Livelink stuff and great twitter chatter. 😉 http://tinyurl.com/9ldrao 7:37 PM Jan 20th from web in reply to shiralazar

RT @HumanFolly My favorite quote from President Obama’s speech today: “We will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.” 6:17 PM Jan 20th from web

haha triple RT @inaug Retweeting @blogdiva: i have a new title for @CNN‘s John King : Technology Pornographer inaug09 (@imajin2102) #inaug 6:08 PM Jan 20th from web

Nez Perce peeps in the house. 5:40 PM Jan 20th from txt

haha triple RT @inaug Retweeting @blogdiva: i have a new title for @CNN‘s John King : Technology Pornographer inaug09 (@imajin2102) #inaug 4:33 PM Jan 20th from web

While CNN yaks away about the bus, here’s some real Birmingham history. Recent police chief requires nonviolence training of all her cops. 4:30 PM Jan 20th from web

hahaha RT @inaug this is more of a pub crawl than a parade, but without the pubs inaug09 (@neonplasma) 4:23 PM Jan 20th from web

@calinative it’s still very buggy. They’re using 20,000 computers to run that. Don’t download the betas and early releases yet, I say. 4:22 PM Jan 20th from web in reply to calinative

If McCain walked down the street like Biden now, he’d have a flak jacket, 5 Blackhawk helicopters and snipers atop almost every building. 4:21 PM Jan 20th from web

@nursenicole I know. Teasing. Maybe he’ll go up and down the east coast over and over homeless like the New Jersey garbage barge. 4:19 PM Jan 20th from web in reply to nursenicole

I used Drudge’s “anonymous” webform to tell him the following. “Roberts paused and then cut Obama off. Stop it.” Great if others do similar. 4:16 PM Jan 20th from web

@jepaco you’re right. Roberts paused and then cut him off. Much more contempt than mispronouncing someone’s name even! Obama looked pissed 4:13 PM Jan 20th from web in reply to jepaco

News Analysis – This is the 1st time in 12 years 1 of our Presidents didn’t hide in the fetal position in the trunk at the inaugural parade 4:11 PM Jan 20th from web

FLASH – CNN is not covering financials. Dow plummeted 336.35 points (4.06%) according to @breakingnewson (preliminary #s) 4:05 PM Jan 20th from web

Ted Kennedy had a seizure while dining with Obama and the rest of Congress. CNN claims that’s breaking news but it’s 1 1/2 hours old. 4:02 PM Jan 20th from web

RT (inc shipping) super *O* t-shirt http://is.gd/gCoe @lildb 3:59 PM Jan 20th from web

I am happy that Obama will preside for 4-8 years, but I won’t be all decked out in Obama clothing, k? thx. bye. 2:33 PM Jan 20th from web

@sarahatwood Brian Williams, like Vanderson Cooper and Wolfe Bluster is an old-money chauvinist FashionInstituteOfTech grad lacking brains 2:31 PM Jan 20th from web in reply to sarahatwood

RT @randomfreak It’s like I’m walking on sunshine. Seriously. And I didn’t even need any compressed computer duster 2 get like this either! 2:09 PM Jan 20th from web

I thought Bush would fly back to Danbury where he belongs. Texas? I thought those peeps got rid of him? 2:03 PM Jan 20th from web

@inaug Chief Justice paused and then cut Obama off. You could tell he was livid but not allowed to show it. He handled it well. Rat bastard! 1:39 PM Jan 20th from web in reply to inaug

ahahahaha. @irinaslutsky – u shamed Ashton Kutcher ( @aplusk ) into thinking about donating some??? You frickin’ rock, grrl! #inaug #inaug09 1:38 PM Jan 20th from web

So Bush’s getaway copter gets a namechange; to ExPresident1. Anderson cooper and wolf blitzer joust over who is older money 1:31 PM Jan 20th from txt

OK, Mr. Obama. You’re prez. Now where’s my carton of Marlboros & bottle of Mad Dog 2020 like you promised. Pony up bro, or I’m voting Perot 1:17 PM Jan 20th from web

@schoodic thanks! 1:14 PM Jan 20th from web in reply to schoodic

Thanks for keeping it all 2gether @twitter — the lags were minimal in the grand context of what it could’ve been like! 1:13 PM Jan 20th from web

Wasnt Rev Lowery the one congress marshalls beat up last year because he wouldnt stop protesting irak war and torture? #inaug 12:39 PM Jan 20th from txt

Brink, brim, cusp. ! 12:34 PM Jan 20th from txt

Now comes poetry time! 12:28 PM Jan 20th from txt

If he wants my vote in 12 he must close not just gitmo but the SOA/WHISC anmd he must free not just Leonard Peltier but Mumia Abu Jamal 12:28 PM Jan 20th from txt

Here he tries to be Kennedy plus MLK divided by two. #inaug #inaug09 12:25 PM Jan 20th from txt

Diane Feinstein discussung bullet over the ballot and brutality and nonviolence? Now that’s hypocracy of epic proportions. 11:49 AM Jan 20th from txt

Why am I watching this on ABC? Oy consensus. #inaug 11:43 AM Jan 20th from txt

Twitter trick during failwhales and yellow triangles. go back to the http://www.twitter.com page and repaste what you’d started to send 10:31 AM Jan 20th from web

@neovids Clinton’s use of the word ‘Immediate’ meant 18 months. Bush’s was never. I’d say add and divide by 2. 10:30 AM Jan 20th from web in reply to neovids

RT @whoppervirgins Rumor has it, America has elected a new Burger King…. http://tinyurl.com/97uqfy 10:25 AM Jan 20th from web

RT @Pistachio hearing rumors of a layoff today at THE most senior levels of government. #inaug 10:23 AM Jan 20th from web

RT HopeChat Did David Axelrod buy a new suit? He cleaned up well. LOL #inaug09 10:20 AM Jan 20th from web

RT @neovids cheney will leave office in a wheel chair. this seems only fair #inaug [As a vet I rather agree] 10:17 AM Jan 20th from web

9:40 a.m. U’ve Been Warned: Security agencies say once 350K people are on the Mall, the gates will B shut. [sucks. Capacity’s 1.2M] #inaug 10:14 AM Jan 20th from web

RT @bloggi We are all witnessing hystery in the making. 🙂 #inaug 10:12 AM Jan 20th from web

@rabble lol 10:12 AM Jan 20th from web in reply to rabble

The barber wished me a happy Obama day. I don’t think barbers at the Rayburn basement have wished me a happy anything. Ever. #inaug 10:05 AM Jan 20th from txt

RT @HumanFolly I think that a riot is about to break out. 8:59 AM Jan 20th from web

@enduring yeah, but his grandgoddaughter Mika’s a delightfully charming young lady, ennit? #inaug #obama #inaug09 8:58 AM Jan 20th from web in reply to enduring

Ooh, I have an idea, who still has their little sticker they gave you when you voted? Walk around wearing it all day. Great convo starter. 8:56 AM Jan 20th from web

/me is just so happy I could take off my shoes and throw ’em at someone! #inaug 8:55 AM Jan 20th from web

Most eloquent twitter I’ve seen wasn’t in twitter (yet) = Barack IN, Barrick OUT! – wow. #inaug #inaug09 “Barack IN, Barrick OUT!” — Mano 8:49 AM Jan 20th from web

@bakuretsu good thinking. I’m busy minding news feeds and group edits and stuff, will consult youtube and twitter search tomorrowish. 😉 8:44 AM Jan 20th from web in reply to bakuretsu

@kathrynjones that’s Condaleeza’s way of “rickrolling” you. (chevron) #inaug #inaug09 8:37 AM Jan 20th from web in reply to kathrynjones

@kathrynjones that’s Condaleeza’s way of “rickrolling” you. (chevron) 8:37 AM Jan 20th from web in reply to kathrynjones

RT @lesliecarbone Hardest thing 4 me 2 live w/ re: Bush terms = not thoughtful enuf ever 2 grasp how profoundly he has damaged U.S. #inaug 8:35 AM Jan 20th from web

Obama’ll swear on the Lincoln Bible. I wonder if there’s any DNA on there from scalpings in the Black Hawk wars? #inaug — oops 8:27 AM Jan 20th from web

RT @ekai Finally at end of blue line near Dept of Health & Human Services entrance. Line stretches for 1/2 mile. #inaug 8:19 AM Jan 20th from web

@sacca Barry O better watch his f v < k i n g mouth. It’s a swearing in, not a swearing in! 8:18 AM Jan 20th from web in reply to sacca

Washington Post is bragging that they have 120 reporters “everywhere.” Who wants to wager how soon they’ll say “hit our twitter,” et al? 8:11 AM Jan 20th from web

RT @enduring Attending Inaug in wheelchair, strained back or can’t “stand” Obama? Cheney’s transformation 2 Bond villain is complete. 8:04 AM Jan 20th from web

RT @vulgrin Only 14900 seconds of bush left 7:53 AM Jan 20th from web

@Southworth Inauguration Day! Does every1 have pointy hats and noisemakers? I’m looking forward 2 the part where they pants Bush onstage. 7:52 AM Jan 20th from web in reply to Southworth

RT @ev Waiting in what I imagine is the first of many lines today. George Lucas is further back in the line, so we must be doing ok. 7:21 AM Jan 20th from web

5 hours 41 mins 30 secs. 7:18 AM Jan 20th from web

RT @sacca It is way too cold for fist-bumping. Fingers could be lost. 7:10 AM Jan 20th from web

RT @sarahkatheryn does anyone have a 20 on the Cosi lines in CapHill SE? #inaug09 [Cosi, :)] 7:08 AM Jan 20th from web

RT @kathrynjones going 2 force self 2 sleep – excited isn’t the word 4 2morrow – moved, inspired, grateful, ecstatic – sleep well twiends! 12:20 AM Jan 20th from web

RT @sarahkatheryn Met classmates of obama from Hawaii on the metro weird to hear non right wing ppl call him barry 12:18 AM Jan 20th from web

OK, watching Garth Brooks sing Shout! for Obama and a few million of his closest friends was well worth the price of downloading 11:55 PM Jan 19th from web

Careful @irinaslutsky @vulgrin I’ve believed 4 a long time wooden windmill implementation all over Philly = got Abbie Hoffman killed. 11:24 PM Jan 19th from web

@jack I’m twitterpated with your word choice in trying out Twestival today 11:01 PM Jan 19th from web in reply to jack

@Zadi do I hear Dante Ross on drum n bass? 10:40 PM Jan 19th from web in reply to Zadi

“And you can’t use Notepad unless you’ve bought your Windows license in the first place.” — Richard Campbell http://shrinkster.com/13ty 10:38 PM Jan 19th from web

@irinaslutsky maybe Ashton (@aplusk) would rather give people like me a 2 year old CoolPix than donate directly to a charity. Just sayin 10:30 PM Jan 19th from web in reply to irinaslutsky

@Pistachio wow, that’s a good point too, though. 10:28 PM Jan 19th from web in reply to Pistachio

Which uses less bandwidth – clicking ‘Home’ atop the twitter page or ‘refresh’ inside Firefox??? 10:06 PM Jan 19th from web

found another bug in Office. If you type ‘orthogonal’ and spell check it, it’ll say you’re right no matter which way you spell it. 10:04 PM Jan 19th from web

If a Twitter links to a webpage and nobody clicks it, does it make AdSense? Doubleclick? http://etext.org/Zines/ASCI… 9:42 PM Jan 19th from web

OK @irinaslutsky @glassdog that song was painful. 9:38 PM Jan 19th from web

@irinaslutsky U R right. & I’ve not often been a fan of pompous circumambulating. Wait. Did I say that? I mean pomp & Circuit City, er uh 9:24 PM Jan 19th from web in reply to irinaslutsky

woah, @saxdiva I use sage for “whatever ails ya” — what DO you do when your sage gets sick? Yikes 9:10 PM Jan 19th from web

” this is me in grade nine… ” [ http://muffinbottoms.org/?p… ]. 9:05 PM Jan 19th from web

@ev perhaps she should just do a short lapdance and then ask for more stuff that folds. 9:01 PM Jan 19th from web in reply to ev

@NewsRimes4lines Will snailmail ever go/like telegram or quill pen?/Don’t worry if the bandwidth chokes/Just wait a little & twitter again. 8:56 PM Jan 19th from web in reply to NewsRimes4lines

@jack just don’t get the peanut butter. 8:50 PM Jan 19th from web in reply to jack

RT @hfx_ben Modesto Anarcho #10: http://tinyurl.com/6tlfuj 8:49 PM Jan 19th from web

“…like let’s say Twitter. All right, here we go. Everyone drink, I said Twitter. Tweet that I said Twitter.” — Leon Gersing 8:21 PM Jan 19th from web

@langley I guess some people prefer to pay extra for stuff that’s been returned, put back in a box or bag and restapled. 8:10 PM Jan 19th from web in reply to langley

Rt @dickc: Usher checked his blackberry during the big closing number, which is funny since he was IN the big closing number. 7:57 PM Jan 19th from web

@chrisbrogan didn’t you get the memo? we’re careful not to say C4 – anymore. Munitions experts are a little bit touchy lately 7:46 PM Jan 19th from web in reply to chrisbrogan

My only real regret this weekend was that I only punk’d @shiralazar. Punking @aplusk would’ve been much more poetical. [evil grin…] 7:45 PM Jan 19th from web

@wmmarc yesterday, not today for me. I think they were doing a lot of database maintenance. Maybe they’re not done. 7:43 PM Jan 19th from web in reply to wmmarc

Jeez, @BreakingNewsOn — Last time I threw an old pair of shoes over the fence of the White House some guy from the bushes thanked me. 7:16 PM Jan 19th from web

@teepoole a lot can happen in a minute. 6:18 PM Jan 19th from web in reply to teepoole

@rabble did you ever eat at a burrito place called Mucho Mas ? 4:01 PM Jan 19th from web in reply to rabble

@ev north face at patagonia??? Do I sense yet another unspoken Joint venture operational agreement? 3:35 PM Jan 19th from web in reply to ev

@zephoria nice work. Should I feign academia and pretend to judge it for you? And how was your defense, or has that happened yet? 3:33 PM Jan 19th from web in reply to zephoria

RT: @BreakingNewsOn Emergency services responded to a suspicious item found over the White House fence which turned out to be a shoe 3:23 PM Jan 19th from web

RT: @BaghdadBrian @mjb http://bit.ly/20snux 3:17 PM Jan 19th from web

@wholefoods nice of U 2 respond some. But it’s been 2 full days since this broke. Please be more prompt in the future. 2:49 PM Jan 19th from web in reply to wholefoods

@davewiner it was the sign $ steeple verses! FascistoCorporate America can’t handle those 2 verses. Real America can, but that pales, huh? 2:43 PM Jan 19th from web in reply to davewiner

RT: This is fairly outrageous. HBO made YouTube take down the Pete Seeger/Bruce Springsteen “This is Your Land” video. http://bit.ly/NLlc 2:37 PM Jan 19th from web

RT: @CityRoom Is That an Emoticon in 1862? http://tinyurl.com/8km3sn 😉 ! 2:30 PM Jan 19th from web

Any second now @davewiner is going to try dividing by 0 and have a mathematical meltdown. 2:26 PM Jan 19th from web

@chrisbrogan they could always hire yours truly; but no one hardly ever finds those kinds of things important anymore! 2:25 PM Jan 19th from web in reply to chrisbrogan

Any second now @davewiner is going to divide by 0 and have a mathematical meltdown. 2:16 PM Jan 19th from web

Or better yet, have Mika Brzezinski and Obama Girl start arguing who’s got more google juice, seo savvy or twitter love. 2:14 PM Jan 19th from web

Someone really needs to do a satire of Obama blackberrying to qik and twittering that he’s videotaping the crowd or something. 2:09 PM Jan 19th from web

@triciamckinney she’s prolly too old 4 http://www.hanselman.com/ba… huh? How about bejeweled, do they have it yet? 2:08 PM Jan 19th from web in reply to triciamckinney

RT: @kidtechguru Find The Nearest Coffee House On A Google Map – http://tinyurl.com/942qm9 2:02 PM Jan 19th from web

@kidtechguru neat! 2:02 PM Jan 19th from web in reply to kidtechguru

wow. John Lennon’s sister doesn’t appreciate Bono or Geldoff too much, eh? http://tinyurl.com/6vvocw 1:32 PM Jan 19th from web

RT: (looks like @UTNEreader peeps R getting their chops back!) Activist priest faces excommunication 4 support of women: http://bit.ly/35Kc 12:54 PM Jan 19th from web

RT (interesting analysis!) @UtneReader A new form of censorship has quietly crept over the internet: http://bit.ly/IYVw 12:52 PM Jan 19th from web

no no. @proudraven I didn’t mean you should add that, I was saying that platform was going to be a bandwidth hog, bigtime. hehehehe 12:49 PM Jan 19th from web

@proudraven not just twitter. http://www.qik.com is going to uber hog. 12:32 PM Jan 19th from web in reply to proudraven

RT: @pud I love that CNN keeps saying “See more of us at Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace” – in that order. 12:28 PM Jan 19th from web

Wow, look at the very last paragraph: http://bit.ly/130me 11:16 AM Jan 19th from web

How I Punk’d Fox’s Shira Lazar last night. http://muffinbottoms.org/?p… 8:14 AM Jan 19th from web

Mondays comedy show. http://mondays.pwop.com 8:20 PM Jan 18th from web

@ekai you sure some teenager didn’t stick a potato in there? 8:20 PM Jan 18th from web in reply to ekai

RT: @BlueCornComics Indians at the inaugural: http://tinyurl.com/7szc43 7:37 PM Jan 18th from web

RT: @proudraven Censored News: Native American Blog by Brenda Norrell http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com 7:36 PM Jan 18th from web

Listening to Michael Bucher song on Namapahh radio webstream. http://tinyurl.com/5kp34a 5:57 PM Jan 18th from web

Pete Seeger makin’ u cry, @zadi ? 🙂 4:27 PM Jan 18th from web

@mjb heck yeah! 4:26 PM Jan 18th from web in reply to mjb

@tomit ooh, U shoulda gotten acronis. Back up 2 an external drive, pop the different drive onto UR system, restore to the new drive. done. 3:45 PM Jan 18th from web in reply to tomit

RT: @minxlj As much as I applaud #inauguration efforts of recognising black contribs…where is the recognition of Native Americans? Really? 3:40 PM Jan 18th from web

@aubs are you going to use Qik at the inaug? 2:34 PM Jan 18th from web in reply to Aubs

Army, the only place I know
Where ladies room's nothing
More than a men's room with
The urinals duct-taped shut.
Cedar wood and mud warm and
Cozy... toasty dry despite
Winter under and above clay.
How do you reclaim a uranium
Mine?!? City park? Golf -
Course?? Sod farm???
Coffee and a warm sweetroll
At Tuba City Truck Stop.

If your herb garden grows
Slow and late it's a thyme delay.
Did you know that "wonton"
Spelled backwards is "not now?"
What d'ya call a whatchamacallit
Shop? Just that.
Last All-Hallows-Eve the baby
Sitter went as a leather  mouse
What're you?? I'm a mud bog.
Or was that a ground hog?
Tse Bonito and Window Rock...
Ancient tourist traps...
Oraibi... the oldest...
Taos, Tuscon, or Taylor...
Which is trendier?
Electric cello: like Woodie Guthrie
Walking into Karaoke nite at Lulu's
Luscious Locust, 14th and Ave. X.
C&W music in a major way...
Conway Twitty's where I get
Off this ride. & change channels.

6-Foot Wedgie plays a gig at
The Russian Lady restaurant.
Que concept... like cranberry nut
Frybread. Paul Harvey is like the
Faded fotocopy of Will Rogers.

Woke up with either pigsnot and
Venom, vim and vinegar or Just
A whole bunch of vigorous
Vitality. Or was it just the
Vidal Sassoon???
Homemade blood sausage. Takes guts
To eat. Taste good, like a tender
Spinach leaf. I'd try anything
Once... that was my once, like a
Sliced intestine full of leftovers.
If squash is 1 of the 3 sisters,
She must be the short one.

Bacitracin can't compete w/ pinon pine sap.

And JC Penier, clothier to the
Mallrat knows nothing of KMarticus,
The bluelight king of Upholstry;
Neither knows thing of braintanning.

So Navajo Nation’s only radio station
Plays hit kicking country. Western.
You know you need a bath when
The sheep won’t let you in the pen
If even 2 let them out.

 

 

Previously published in a $5 Chapbook entitled "I Slurp My Coffee." 

Currently released as an album at:
http://www.reverbnation.com/marcfruchtpoet
And you can get the whole album as a printable .zip file at:

http://www.frucht.org/Poems4RobertaBlackgoat.zip

I haven’t maintained my http://www.come.to/thesoaprotest site in a long while.

It was feeling neglected. I’ll have to be more attentive as soon as my midterms are taken care of.

Here’s a humble reprint of a portion of Holly Near’s blog about her time playing guitar and singing at the 2006 event. I think it speaks volumes about the same issues, don’t you?

——————————————————

Thursday, November 16th

A very early flight takes me to Atlanta where I met up with over a dozen artists. We did an informal concert to raise funds for the SOA Watch. We each sang one or two songs and thousands of dollars were raised as well as spirits. Elise Witt made that happen. It is wonderful to see old friends and hear new songs. David Rovics offers a moving song about New Orleans. Jose “Pepo” Saavedra and Ted Warmbrand are there all the way from Arizona. Many artists have driven all day and night to get there on time. There is lots of laughing and eating and good feeling. Thanks to Elise Witt for producing the event.

That night I stayed up talking with Elise and Karen Brandow—talking about our work, about music and about home and the world. What a luxury when artists have time to hang out with one another. We are so often heading off to the next town. We talked about the danger of turning social change artists into “bake sales”, always asked to raise money for struggling organizations but with very little understanding of the power of music and the roll culture must take in social change movements if we are to be successful. Karen said I was going to be surprised by the integration of the music in the upcoming events. Apparently Pete Seeger, when he attended the SOA protest, said ,”This is the singingest movement!”

The next day we headed south. I was so glad to have Elise as my buddy. The size of the event was a bit intimidating. Just the thought of finding parking! But in fact, none of those concerns were an issue. There was so much care and camaraderie, I never felt lost even when I was.

I met a new friend, a lovely woman who has been at the SOA protest many times. She is such a bright spirit, has a powerful voice, and seems to laugh and dance where ever she goes. Her name is Colleen Kattau. I think she said that we had met somewhere in Central America, years ago. Was it Nicaragua? I think so.

There were workshops and trainings and cultural events and prayer sessions and panels. So many things all going on at once. It took a moment for me to remember that one can not be at all the events and that in truth, it doesn’t matter. Just walk in a door and sit down. Something interesting will happen.

I walked in to a gathering where a woman was talking about her work in Chile. Just as I sat down on the floor against the wall she said that Victor Jara’s killer had been found. The murderer had been a student at the SOA. She spoke of Victor’s wife Joan, a friend of mine, who after identifying Victor’s body, had escaped to England. That nightmare has come to an end. In fact, their new president is an ex-prisoner (and a woman, I might add!) Chile Stadium, where Victor was tortured and killed in 1973, has been renamed Estadio Víctor Jara. Emotion came washing over me. I found myself “arriving” at this protest. Up until now, I was simply going through the logistics. I was here for Victor. I was here for all the women whose names I cry out in the song, “Hay Una Mujer Desaparecida”. I was here for the people in El Salvador that I had met when I went to do a concert there in protest of the repression, in protest to the thousands killed by the US supported military regime, where we were followed by cars identified as death squad. I was here for the Nicaraguans I had met who suffered an horrific war waged against them by CIA backed contras. I was here for the Argentinians who had disappeared, for the mothers in the white head scarves I had met who demanded to know where their children had been taken. I was here for the musician friends I had met from Uruguay who had escaped to Europe because their songs were too dangerous. I was here for a Uruguayan women recently tortured who I had met in Mexico (she was being harbored by US expatriates living in Cuernavaca). And I was here because I know you don’t have to leave the USA to find violent abuse. I know about the prison system in this country. I know about The California Youth Authority. I know about the racism in prison. I know the way the US treated political prisoners in Vietnam. I know about Abu Grade. I know about Guantanamo. I know about the Trail of Tears. I know about sex trafficking of young girls and the smut films that document their gruesome murders. I know about electric shock treatment that used to be given to gay people—the lobotomies. I know that this kind of abuse can be well taught to Latin American soldiers because in the US, it has been well practiced and administered.

Someone taps me on the shoulder: “Would I sing a song?” Yes of course. I begin to sing “I Am Willing.” I nod to Sandy O and Pat Humphries and Charlie King and Karen Brandow and they come up and join me…were there others? Maybe John Fromer. I don’t remember. From that moment on there was singing, so much singing. We all joined each other. The singers became like one body.

Jon Fromer sang “My feet are tired but my soul is rested” remembering the great bus boycott. What a model, a movement that changed all movements from that time on. They showed us how to pick up songs instead of guns when you go out to face the violence.

There are many faiths represented here but it is predominately Christian, and mostly Catholic, founded by a priest affectionately called Father Roy. He, himself, had been a victim of torture in Latin America. So many of the people killed by this training have been Catholics and Indigenous peoples. It is clear that these people gain strength from their faith but I don’t see them imposing narrow mind and fear on others but rather they walk with arms wide open. If the religious right would like to meet Jesus, chances are they will find him here.

Next we go to a pub downtown Columbus, Georgia where there is a reception to welcome the Civil Rights leaders who have marched from Alabama to Columbus to join in the weekend. We find some young people there who are focusing their energies on Puerto Rico. They are so knowledgeable, it takes my breath away. Again my past comes racing to mind. When I was in my mid twenties I attended a Puerto Rican Solidarity event in New York City at Madison Square Garden at the Felt Forum. I think it was put on by the Puerto Rican Socialist Party. September 10th, 1976. The place was packed. Phil Ochs sang. I sang. Orlando Letelier spoke (he was killed in a car bombing in Washington DC, Sept. 21st, 1976, only a few days later). Geraldo Rivera, a young lawyer and soon to be famous journalist also spoke.

The next day we head for Fort Benning, (well, outside the gates of Fort Benning.) This is a day of dancing and singing and a celebration of resistance. Meanwhile demonstrations are also taking place in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Paraguay, and Peru, as well as in Ireland, Canada, and at other sites in the US. One of the recent tactics of the movement is to go to the heads of states of other countries and get them to agree to stop sending soldiers to train at this school.

Chris Inserra and Francisco Herrera are the main MCs for the event. I must say, I have never seen anything like it. Without raising their voices or ever appearing aggravated, these two kept the program going with such grace. I would check my watch from time to time and compare it to the schedule. They were never off by more than a minute and they always caught up. There was no one pushing for power, no high-visibility guests arrived demanding to be put on earlier than agreed to. The back stage area was calm and loving and collective in nature. Maybe that is because looming behind us was this huge gate topped with barbed wire, the gate that brave souls have crossed over year after year here in protest.

There are guest speakers and artists. And then there is the Musician’s Collective. I joined them from day one. Their job was to do music, to pick appropriate songs for appropriate places. Singers were sent to workshops and panels whenever possible. But during Saturday and Sunday, they mostly stayed ready to sing at the main stage. What an amazing choir of sound and spirit. I tell you, there must have been a charming clerk at the “check your ego” stand because everyone had. Charlie King and Karen Brandow lead “…break ‘em on down, break ‘em on down, break ‘em on down these walls between us…”

Dave Lippman, the singing CIA Agent, a very wacky and very funny guy, brings the dry condemnation of the Bush Administration and does so in such a non-violent way. Quite something to watch and it feels good to laugh when one is crying.

Saturday evening, Elise and I had food at a restaurant near the base—Carribean food—then we headed for the cultural event. I was the host of this particular evening. Again, more music— music and dancing. It was a challenging line-up for the audience. Coalition is often a challenge. Everything from hip hop to old time folk to traditional Colombian dance to contemporary folk music. The young people who crowded around the front of the stage, sitting on the floor, got up and danced whenever the spirit moved them. Holding each other, joyfully sharing massage chains. I felt so reassured by their presence. They seemed curious about all the music, not judgemental, happy to be there with us and with each other.

Pat and Sandy from Emma’s Revolution lead
Peace, Salaam, Shalom

I discover a group I have never heard before. They were so lovely: The Prince Myshkins.

And I get to hear again people I have loved for years like Tao Rodriguez-Seeger. He is such a loving man, so wise and easy to be with. I am profoundly aware of my status, an elder in training, as artists my age become the grandmas of the social change music movement. It is a pleasure as well as daunting.

An amazing Hip Hop group from Chicago kicks off the evening. They are Kuumba Lynx. They range from about 8 years old to 29 proving wrong the assumption that some might have about young people not being profoundly involved in political culture and change movements. One of the poets has direct experience with the US backed hostilities that plagued Chile. Chestnut Brothers invite the crowd to shout and whisper, dance and pray.

And the evening is closed by an Andean group called Llajtasuyo and everyone is on their feet dancing. This event was skillfully produced by Chris Chandler.Top of page

Sunday. Sunday is a more solemn day. The musicians arrive at the site at 7am to sound check (in case you doubted anyone’s commitment, do you know what it means for musicians who have worked the night before to arrive at 7am?). No one complains . . . well, only in the subtle ways in which we say good morning to one another!

This is the day of the funeral procession. The delegations begin to enter the space. The Veterans for Peace. The Buddhist Drummers, The Grandmothers for Peace. The ritual begins with a Mayan Blessing.

Then the reading of the names. Teams of readers say the names out loud of those who have been murdered, mostly in central and Latin America by the policies taught and the people trained at SOA. After each name, the singers voice in deep rich harmony: “PRESENTE”. This goes on and on for hours. It is overwhelming. At one point the victims have no names, one after another, mostly children recently killed in Colombia.

The over 22,000 people file past the gates of the SOA and place wood crosses with the name of the victim written on the wood and they place these markers into the fence. At the end, the fence is a sea of white, a huge memorial to the victims— a massive condemnation of the killers. Victor Jara’s name is called. “PRESENTE”. I recognize a name that is in my song, “Hay Una Mujer Desaparecida.” “PRESENTE”. As I sing “PRESENTE” over and over again I start to feel as if I know each one of the people whose name is called. They all become one, they all become me. “PRESENTE! “My legs go to sleep standing up singing “PRESENTE” for so many hours but I would not have moved from that place for the world.

People speak: President Charles Steele, Jr. who is national President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Rabbi Lynn Gottliev who is co-founder of the Muslim Jewish Peace Walk, Frankie Flores who is representative of the Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition International and of course Father Roy Bourgeois, founder of SOAW

More music. Work O.’ The Weavers, a group dedicated to keeping the music and political commitment of The Weavers alive and well, Emily Saliers from The Indigo Girls, SONiA and a huge Puppetista Pageant built predominantly by young people—building, painting, decorating. More speakers, more testimony of torture and abuse, more music.

And then there are those who cross the line. They go over a 10-foot barbed-wire fence on the base’s perimeter. They take this action knowing that they likely face three to six months in federal prison. Since protests against the SOA/ WHINSEC began sixteen years ago, 211 people have served prison sentences of up to two years for civil disobedience. These are the most recent to make this crossing.

Margaret Bryant-Ganer, 38, Shenandoah Junction, West Virginia
Tina Busch-Nema, 48, Kirkwood, Missouri
Rev. Don Coleman, 69, a co-pastor at the University of Chicago from Chicago, Illinois
Valerie Fillenwarth, 64, a homemaker from Indianapolis, Indiana
Philip Gates, 70, a retired school teacher from Prescott, Arizona
Alice Gerard, 50, a freelance journalist from Grand Island, New York
Joshua Harris, 30, from San Diego is a graduate student at Claremont University
Melissa Helman, 23, Ashland, Wisconsin
Martina Leforce, 22, Berea, Kentucky
Julienne Oldfield, 69, Syracuse, New York
(Katherine) Whitney Ray, a 17 year old college student from Indianapolis, Indiana
Sheila Salmon, 71, Sebastian, Florida
Nathan Slater, 23, Berea / Edmonton, Kentucky
Mike Vosburg-Casey, a 32 year old piano tuner and chicken farmer from Atlanta, Georgia
Grayman Ward, 20, a fitness equipment specialist from Raleigh, North Carolina
Cathy Webster, 61, a peace activist and grandmother from Chico, California

Optimistic News:

The SOA/WHINSEC narrowly averted closure earlier this year when a bill to cut funding to the school lost in Congress by a margin of 15 votes. The mid-term elections saw 34 Representatives who opposed the bill lose their seats.

“The Bush Administration and the School of the Americas are out of alignment with the values of everyday Americans,” said Chris Inserra, 48, a teacher and mother of three who helped to organize this weekend’s events.

[ref]=[http://www.hollynear.com/activism.soa.html]