It's because of people like this that I still believe in America. 911 truth now! And the war will END NOW.
STOP GENOCIDE!

PEACE - everywhere - ON EARTH

GOODWILL TO (all) MEN (women and children)

Thank you "Ellsberg, McGovern, Rowley and Hedges, along with Veterans for Peace members Elliott Adams, Mike Ferner, Mike Hearington and Leah Bolger" for giving us the gift of inspiration.

I contacted Kevin Zeese, who had sent me the notice. He sent me to Mike Ferner and the office. After much incompetence on my part, I finally connected with Elliott Adams, who had responsibility for training. He couldn't give me permission to compare Gandhian resistance to what they use, civil resistance. He did give me permission to leaflet.

I introduced myself when many were doing so on Wednesday night and gave out a few dozen fliers. Near the end of the training, people asked several times about jail solidarity. The trainer asked to have that addressed later. When they were about to end that section, I asked," What about jail solidarity?" They agreed to address it. I raised my hand. They said," Do you have a question?" I said "I have a 30 second statement." They gave permission for me to speak. I said," There is nothing wrong with jail solidarity, but that is not Gandhi's approach. Gandhi favored suffering in jail to touch the heart of the adversary."

After the program, I stood at the exit and leafletted. A few people praised what I had said. The facilitator asked that I not give the leaflet out tomorrow. I agreed not to. I probably shouldn't have given it out the next day anyway. The title was " Americans are Cowards." I went and helped assemble signs for a while. Both Kevin Zeese and Tarik, the meeting facilitator, thanked me for helping.

On the day of the action, I cleaned out my car and drove to the cop shop to pick up those leaving jail. The park police station is actually far from any metro. One of the people I helped shuttle to the hotel was Tarik, the person who had facilitated the meeting the night before.

The evaluation the next day with about 50 people present was facilitated by a woman who explicitly said she thought my proposal of discussing Gandhi was not appropriate. She wanted to avoid evaluating the action and focus on creating a followup action. I noted that discussing Gandhi could lead to a resistance action. A fellow who identified himself as on the board objected to my remark.

I praised Elliott Adams for giving me permission to leaflet on Wednesday night.

There was a discussion of police agents. I noted that," Here is my summary of Gene Sharp's wisdom on the matter. These are my words,"It's not their lying or their spying that is the biggest problem. It's their ability to generate mistrust among genuine activists.' I continued ," Be sure not to claim you know someone is an agent. If you don't like what they are doing, criticize what they are saying and doing." I noted someone had referred to the left's tendency to have a circular firing squad" This is a reference to attacking each other rather than those who favor war. I noted that such reference could be used to discourage any disagreement. There is nothing necessarily wrong with disagreement, as long as there are no personal attacks.

At the end of the meeting I called for 30 seconds to address Gandhi. I asked the facilitator if she was really going to prevent me from even having 30 seconds. She relented. I said," I know many people here are opposed to Gandhi's approach. If every person in this room is clear they haven't the slightest interest in discussing Gandhi, I'll be happy to leave you alone. Are there any people in this room who will talk with me about Gandhi?" The facilitator asked," Not now, right?" I agreed not now. Three people raised their hands. I got their contact info. One turned out to be a Maine truth activist I had spoken with recently.

After the meeting broke up, the president of VFP, Mike Ferner, told me they will formally address Gandhi at a later meeting. I thanked him.

I did not raise 911truth at any meeting. I focused on Gandhi because it's harder to find people willing to do nonviolent resistance than anti war folks in general. I am MUCH more isolated as an advocate of Gandhian resistance than I am as a 911Truth activist.