Justice in Vermont (with your help)

"A citizen in United States should never expect to gain justice through the judicial system. The system is so corrupted that in the rare case when justice prevails, it is not because of, but it is in spite of, the system."
~Rosemarie Jackowski

We are posting this call to action today because a kind and decent woman needs your help. Rosemarie Jackowski is a 68-year-old grandmother/Air Force Veteran/writer/anti-war activist and an advocacy journalist living in Vermont.

"On March 20, 2003, I participated in a peaceful protest against the war. I was arrested, incarcerated, handcuffed, booked, fingerprinted, photographed, arraigned, tried, convicted and sentenced. My conviction is currently under Appeal in the Vermont State Supreme Court. Courtroom procedure allows the condemned the Right of Allocution. This was the first time that I was allowed to speak freely and openly to the court. Below are my words, as I spoke them, to Judge David Suntag, in Vermont District Court, in Bennington, Vt., on October 7, 2004."

A Courtroom Speech By Rosemarie Jackowski

To get an idea of where Rosemarie is coming from I would suggest you read the above article as well as:
"Silence is the greatest of all crimes"

An interview with Peace Grandma, Rosemarie Jackowski
by author Mickey Z

The details of her protest trial can be found at the Veterans for Peace website.

The idea of a jury steamrolling a grandmother for committing an act of civil disobedience is, unfortunately, not very surprising in America’s current political climate.

BUT…

That is not subject of today’s appeal to you.
The current injustice facing this amicable woman has to do with her actions as a plaintiff stemming from a traffic accident in Vermont in the year 2000.

While waiting in a line of traffic she was rear ended by a loaded logging truck.
Many eyewitnesses reported the truck driver was “distracted” by some young ladies on the roadside and clearly the negligent party in the accident.
It would seem like a straightforward case but for the fact that the truck was owned and operated by the state of Vermont.

It gets worse. It has taken FIVE YEARS for the government to even begin her deposition.

I urge you to read the horrific details of this matter in her recent article:

The Deposition By Rosemarie Jackowski

Being deposed by a government lawyer for a case where the State is the defendant is, no doubt, a rough ride. It would seem that the State of Vermont had an intimidation card up its sleeve when the lawyer’s questions began to stray far from the case at hand into the realm of Rosemarie’s political beliefs and very personal life.

An excerpt from The Deposition:

"The big day arrived. I was taken into a small, windowless room in the state’s attorney’s office complex. I looked around. There was a one-way mirror opposite to where I was seated. There were some metal bookshelves with black garbage bags on them. It reminded me of Abu Ghraib.


I was told to raise my right hand and was sworn in. Then the interrogation by an assistant to the state attorney general began. She asked questions about my political activities… questions about my political writings. She had copied all of them from the Internet and waved them about with great emotion. She seemed excited by the fact that some of my articles had appeared on a web site that has a four-letter word in its name. Obviously, she thought that this would embarrass me. It did not. I calmly explained to her that I do not have a web site and I have no control over what name other people give to their web sites. I don’t know if she believed me or not.


Then the interrogation got even more interesting. She asked questions about my sex life. She asked questions about my marriage that had ended 35 years prior. Then she started to ask detailed questions about the fact that I had been the victim of a brutal rape. The rape, which is irrelevant to this case, had occurred 40, yes 40, years ago during a time when I was working in Florida. By now, it had become very clear to me what was happening. There was no doubt in my mind that this was an attempt to intimidate me."

Whether or not you agree with Rosemarie’s political beliefs they should not hold any bearing in her case against a State-owned trucking company that had cause her much physical anguish and financial devastation. As for the exceptionally private matters of sexual assault or divorce- the representative of the State of Vermont has gone too far!

This is not the progressive State that I have read about over the years. This is brutal.

We are appealing to you, dear reader, to take a few moments to write to one or both of the people listed below and join us in demanding a fair and equitable conclusion to this rather straightforward case of negligence on the part of an employee of the State of Vermont.

The harassment and obfuscation by the assistant to the state attorney general and the dragging out of this otherwise uncomplicated matter are Justice delayed and Justice denied.

Dick Sears, Chairman of the State Judiciary Committee:
rsears@leg.state.vt.us

Speaker of the State House, Gaye Symington:
speaker@leg.state.vt.us

Governor of the State of Vermont, Jim Douglas:
http://www.vermont.gov/governor/contact.html

A susinct sentence or two is all we ask.

If you are a Blogger we would ask that you perhaps utilize your own space to help spread this appeal with your own article or a link back to this one.

Thank you very much.

Amelopsis and Youngfox.

The Beauty of Bhutan

More pictures from the land where the Gross National Happiness takes priority.


via Moon River

Japanese Killing Whales in Protected Waters - please help

The following is an email I received from IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare)

Please help if you can.

International Fund for Animal Welfare
January 18, 2006

Urgent: Japanese Fleet Now Killing Whales


Dear Friend,

A half century ago, a ship's physician on a whaling trip in the Antarctic wrote the following
description:

"If we can imagine a horse having two or three explosive spears stuck in its stomach and being made to pull a butcher's truck through the streets of London while it pours blood into the gutter, we shall have an idea of the method of killing whales. The gunners themselves admit that if whales could scream, the industry would stop for nobody would be able to stand it."

Sadly, this doctor could have easily been talking about the cruelty of killing whales today.

Harpoons with explosive grenade heads are still used by Japanese whalers to hunt whales in the protected waters of the Southern Ocean Sanctuary. And despite a worldwide ban on whaling and international criticism, this cruel killing of whales by Japanese whalers is now underway.

Please help us stop the unnecessary slaughter of whales before it is too late. Contribute to IFAW today.

There is no need to kill a whale in order to study it

A ban on commercial whaling is in effect, but whaling for "research" purposes is permitted under International Whaling Commission (IWC) rules.

Japanese boats left port several weeks ago to begin hunting up to 935 minke whales for "research" purposes in a marine mammal sanctuary -- more than double the number of whales they killed last year. And for the first time, 10 fin whales, the world's second largest animal, will also be killed.

Perhaps most terrifying of all, Japan plans to kill 50 endangered humpback whales a year in the near future. Graceful and magnificent, the songs and athletic displays of humpback whales inspire awe in young and old alike.

This painful killing of whales does not benefit science, whales or people. Japan claims that scientific whaling is necessary to determine if whales are hurting commercial fish stocks. Yet some of the whale species killed by Japan do not even eat fish!

"Which Whale Species Has the Best Flavor?"

The truth of "research" whaling can be found in this outrageous question from a former Deputy Commissioner in Japan's Fisheries agency. Under IWC rules, any meat that results from research whaling must be utilised, and Japan openly sells the whale meat in markets and restaurants. This is commercial whaling in disguise.

The IWC has passed resolutions critical of Japan's research whaling program forty-one times. It is long past time for the Japanese government to abide by the wishes of the international community that supports whale conservation measures such as whale watching, which is both more economically viable and sustainable. IFAW is working with responsible whale watch operators around the world, including in Japan, to promote this new industry that has tremendous benefits for coastal communities worldwide.

We can't match Japan dollar for dollar without your help

The risk of future generations forgetting the sight of these majestic creatures forever is very real. Until the ban on whaling in 1986, many species of whales, including the humpback, were hunted to the brink of extinction. Endangered whales already face many threats from marine pollution, ship strikes, gear entanglement and habitat destruction.

Please give what you can now to stop the continuing injustice of needlessly killing whales in an international sanctuary. These magnificent creatures should be appreciated for their natural beauty, not eaten.

In addition to establishing and promoting alternative whale watching programs around the world, IFAW is investigating legal options to stop Japan's scientific whale hunt via international law.

Through continued research, lobbying and public awareness, your generous contribution will help us stop the cruelty of the explosive harpooning of the most mysterious, soulful creatures on Earth.

Thanks for all you do,

Fred O'Regan
President and CEO

When any Zawasomebody will do...

...this is the sort of nonsensical crap that follows.


American planes have fired missiles into Pakistan near the village of Damadola in a purported attempt to kill the 2nd in command to the Stuff of Legend, Bin Laden himself. (You remember, his name's Osama)


While some American news agencies are busy jumping the gun in the effort to make 'good' news (good for their paymasters);
sources of the non american variety report the killing of families. Women, children.


It's all just more killing.

"I've got a little book with pages three, And every page spells liberty"

It seems that we in North America must still look abroad to find honest criticism of the Neocon Robber Barons currently ruining the world.


Harry Belafonte, in the company of Danny Glover and Cornell West, had this to say to Hugo Chavez in Venezuela during his weekly broadcast to the nation's people:

"No matter what the greatest tyrant in the world, the greatest terrorist in the world, George W. Bush says, we're here to tell you: Not hundreds, not thousands, but millions of the American people ... support your revolution,"

Say it loud and clear Mr. Belafonte, millions around the world agree.

Feathered Friday

Very seldom today does a sense of marvellous wonder overcome me as it did the other evening when I learned about the flightless birds of New Zealand. I was aware of the Kiwi, but I invite you to meet the Kakapo:



This marvellous creature's only natural enemy was a large predatory hawk; it's means of defence to be silent and still. As you can imagine this defense is ineffective against the introduced species of cats and other predatory four legged mammals such as rats who'll eat their eggs.



Kakapos exist today on the brink of extinction on a few islands that are cat and rat free. People are carefully monitoring and supporting the survival of this bird; against all odds.


"The kakapo is a bird full of surprises.

It's a parrot that looks like an owl, but which cannot fly. It can hop like a sparrow and growl like a dog. And it has a smell unlike anything else in the world - except perhaps the smell of flowers or honey!"


Kakapo Recovery Project

What a mysterious planet we live on.

So many wondrous places and creatures to learn about every day.

Let's make certain to learn more about the magic and wonder around us before we use it all up.
That'll be sometime next week by the way.
The time is now - there's none to waste!