Tribune Report on Egypt Protest - Solid Work by Reporter Dan Hinkel!

Chicago Tribune reporter Dan Hinkel identified the creeps and professional stooges attempting to hijack the legitimate grievances of Egyptians and Egyptian Americans. International Solidarity Movement (ISM) works with many anti-American and Marxist groups to destroy Israel masked as human rights do-gooders. The Hamas Flotillas last summer was planned in Cairo - Bill Ayers and his odious life partner Bernardine Dorhn have made numerous trips to the Middle East -Cairo in particular. Kevin Clark of ISM coached the naive Rachel Corrie who was killed by an Israeli bulldozer and Chicago Utility Activist (Gay Everything/Hamas/anti-Police) Andy Thayer are constant presence - Kevin Clark was behind the Catholic School Girls assault on Worshipers at Holy Name Cathedral and always manages to escape the notice of the Chicago Media. Nine SEIU/ISM activists were subpoenaed by a Federal Grand jury for work with Hamas and FARC in Columbia.

Today, one Chicago reporter identified the clowns.

"A smattering of socialists, anarchists and anti-Israel protesters joined their ranks, all under the eyes of uniformed police."

Now, let's have a solid follow-up.

Here's Kevin Clark doing his moral high ground medicine show in Chicago last June in solidarity with Hamas. Watch this Israel Hating creep and let's give Kevin some front page attention.

Code Stupid Part VIII - Donte Smith One of the Catholic Schoolgirls for Peace

Click My post title for a profile on Donte Smith one the Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War who sprayed blood on worshippers at Holy Name Cathedral this past Easter Sunday.

He is part of the Solidarity network used by ISM's Kevin Clark.

http://dc.indymedia.org/newswire/display/135986/index.php

The actions of the Catholic School Girls Against the War was a test.

The network of radical leftists that planned and staged this act of domestic terrorism and desecrated the Sacrament of the Eucharist with a Hate Crime is gearing up for a more horrific 'action.'

Kevin Clark of International Solidarity Movement has already created martyrs in Gaza and is complicit in the deaths of people in the Middle East.

The Office of Homeland Security, U.S. Secret Service, Cook County States Attorney, Illinois Attorney General, Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weiss, Illinois Secretary of State, and every Legal professional in the employ of the Archdiocese of Chicago must put full scrutiny on this network beginning with Kevin Clark and ISM, but also,
IndyMedia
Hamer Hard Media Works
Illinois Peace Justice Coalition

for starters.

Code Stupid Part-VII - Easter Attack Was Only a Test

Here is a salient point concerning future acts of terror by the Network that the Chicago Tribune's Stacey St. Clair told me in a phone conversation 'that we have no interest at this time in pursuing' -


The Chicago Police Department is getting tired. And the people of Chicago are taking notice of the growing effectiveness of anti-war actions. This effectiveness is contributing to citywide movements to pass legislation in the city that states the city will oppose a preemptive attack on Iran. It is fueling desires for more leaders to be outspoken on the war in Iraq.

The Network that planned and executed the terror attack on worshippers at Holy Name Cathedral this past Easter Sunday continues its war on America.

International Solidarity Movement - Kevin Clark ISM's Chicago Director is head of the effort - it seems. Kevin Clark was intrumental in getting people killed in Gaza in 2003.

Here is the full press statement by their spokeman - aniother Kevin:

March 24, 2008

Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War Disrupt Easter Mass

By Kevin Gosztola


At this moment, updates on the action are coming in regularly. The latest is that, according to one of the defendant's lawyers, at least one of the activists is being spat upon by the guards. Guards are also encouraging other inmates to "mess with" and abuse the defendant. As soon as enough funds can be raised, the activist being spat on will be the next activist bailed out of jail.

Those conducting jail solidarity for the activists are asking that people from the Chicagoland area willing to help bail the activists out of jail monetarily contact Tim Salemme at (773) 759 - 8399 to arrange a donation or email holyname6@riseup.net.

Now for those unaware of what started all of this or how several members of the antiwar movement in Chicago became involved in a battle to bail activists out of jail so they are not abused or "messed with", the story is as follows.

Six members of the anti-war group "Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War" staged a dramatic die-in on Sunday during the 11 AM Easter mass at Holy Name Cathedral. The group, in addition to calling for an immediate end to the illegal and immoral war in Iraq, decried Cardinal George's January 7th meeting with Chicago's Mayor Daley and President Bush.

Holy Name Cathedral is Chicago's largest parish and one where Chicago's most prominent Catholic citizens attend. The protesters knew these people would be in attendance and knew that press, which usually extensively cover the services, would be present when the "die-in" was conducted.


Easter services at Holy Name are traditionally one of the most heavily attended masses of the year, and this mass was no exception, with people packed wall to wall for today’s Easter morning holiday service.
The group of young activists, dressed in their Easter best, sat through the 11AM mass until George reached the homily. A few seconds into the cardinal’s main holiday message, the protesters rose from their seats, turned to address the thousands of parishioners in the auditorium, and talked about the continuing death of both Iraqis and Americans in Iraq as the war enters its sixth year.


The protesters then laid down in the aisles and discharged packets of fake blood that covered them in red. Stunned ushers rushed in after a moment or two to try to remove the protesters, and also brought in some Chicago police officers who were stationed in the lobby to help with traffic control for the overflow crowd. The protesters did NOT resist arrest, agreeing to stand up and walk out of the auditorium, where they were subsequently arrested by cops outside.
During a ten minute wait for the police to show up, the activists conducted a series of media interviews with local television outlets. When the police arrived, the cuffed protesters were loaded and taken to an area police station.

On Monday, the activists attended a hearing. The details, which happen to be posted in the comments section of this article, show just how hard the system is working to make an example of these activists.


(The) hearing was in regards to charges of felony defacement of property
at a place of worship in excess of $300; that makes the charge a Class III
felony. The fake blood allegedly used in the action stained the
auditorium's carpet and 14 chairs, incurring a $400 cleaning bill.
According to the prosecuting attorney, the cleaning failed and the carpet
will need to be replaced at a cost of $3000. Special conditions have been
set for all the arrestees which prevent them from having any contact with
Cardinal George, Holy Name Cathedral, or the area of 735 N. State Street.

The bond for Ephran, Regan, Mercedes, Ryane, and Angela is set at $25,000
each. Donte's bond is set at $35,000. In order to be bailed out, each
arrestee needs to post 10% of their bond. All told, we need to raise
$16,000.

All arrestees are scheduled to appear in court at Branch 42 on March 31st.

The six activists were put back in jail and people began mobilizing to get these young patriots out of jail. After all, as many will attest to, it was a nonviolent direct action. Being disruptive was the point and making a point, which they did, was also the plan. That this action was effective and that it has produced this editorial from Kathy Kelly (which can be found in the comments section) is a testament of how great of an action it was.

Dear Editors,

The six activists who raised their voices, during Cardinal George's Easter homily in Holy Name Cathedral, recalled suffering and carnage caused by the war in Iraq. They screamed. They poured "stage blood." They fell to the floor.

Under U.S. occupation, and as a result of U.S. economic sanctions and military war waged since 1991, Iraqis have seen horrific bombings outside and within their worship places, along with the physical and social destruction of their country. Iraqis have endured mass killing, kidnappings, torture, incarcerations without cause, and an almost complete breakdown of vital infrastructure services including electricity, sewage treatment, and health care delivery.


Take Action Now --- Call Cardinal George and demand charges are dropped: 312-751-8230 and submit letters of support to the local newspaper, Chicago Tribune

In the U.S. and in Iraq, arms ache for loved ones who will never return. Yet many of us may feel numb, even forgetful, regarding the terrible cost of this war. The Easter Sunday action at the cathedral gave us an opportunity to remember that we are a nation at war and to consider ways to follow Jesus' teachings, --to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, heal the sick, love our enemies and bless the peacemakers.

Many thanks to the courageous folks who participated in the action at the Cathedral on Easter calling the church to take a real stand against the war, not just give it lip service.

This was an action that was a gift to the peace movement. It was something to help it reenergize and reform the events the movement plans. (Some peace groups are still planning events as follow-ups to the recruitment center actions in Berkeley which occurred at the end of January and in the beginning of February. They were desperate for something new to happen that they could respond to.)

This action called into question Cardinal George (who still sees George W. Bush as a person worth holding meetings with even though he has shown no sign of being willing to repent for his sins involving the people of Iraq and the people of America) and the Catholic establishment of Chicago.

Cardinal George is cited as saying (this too can be found in the comments section) after the protesters were dragged out of the church by security:


"And so should we all, call for peace. Peace, is of course, the salutation that the risen Lord brings to those whom he has called to witness to Him. Peace, I give you, because they were afraid, and therefore they need to be gifted peace."

"They were afraid, first of all, of Him, because they didn't recognize him at first. But, they were afraid also, as we all are, of our sinfulness and of the enormous difficulties that are incumbent upon working for peace in the world in different ways in which people see the need to work for peace."

"In that witness, I think we can be grateful to those who interrupted this holiday."


Watch the video at
http://chicago.indymedia.org/media/all/display/29168/index.php

And so, it would appear that the peace movement got Cardinal George to rhetorically show he supports these activists in some way. In fact, he has taken an odd stance against the Catholic activists saying something like he does not support them because they disrupted worship but had they not disrupted worship, he would be on their side 100%.

In the context of the fifth anniversary, this is a stunning and unexpected action that took place.

Chicago's peace activists were out in full force in March 19th's permitted march held at night through the city after a rally in downtown Chicago. The peace movement did not quit after the permitted march was over and police were led willy nilly around the city as primarily young activists marched down the sidewalk back towards downtown from the spot where the permitted march ended. The event ended at the ABC7 Chicago news station where activists disrupted business as usual for the ABC News team by making the point that they were partly responsible for the continuation of this Iraq war.

The following day, March 20th, a slew of creative actions occurred. From Chicago Indymedia, this gives you an idea of what the Chicago Police Department had to deal with before arresting the Holy Name 6:

The first action of the day came early in a typically briskly cold Chicago morning during rush hour, as five people hurled a banner that read, “We Heard You Malachi,” at the Millennium Flame near the Kennedy Expressway. The banner was referencing the peace martyr Malachi Ritscher, who killed himself in a public suicide meant to express opposition to U.S. war policies in Iraq. Traffic police reportedly intervened to put a stop to the action in which no arrests were made.

About ninety minutes later, four people locked themselves arm-to-arm in front of local Congressman Rahm Emanuel’s (D-IL) office on Irving Park Road in opposition to his stance on Iraq. The Chicago-based groups the Christian Peacemaker Teams and Voices for Creative Nonviolence were reported as being behind the action whose participants were apparently all arrested. Around the same time, the northbound lines Lake Shore Drive were blockaded by a group with an unknown affiliation of about a dozen people, which according to corporate news accounts, reportedly resulted in a traffic accident.

By around 1:30pm in the afternoon, eight people at Federal Plaza stepped into the lobby of Federal Plaza requesting the presence of State Senators. Seven people kneeled down until they were arrested, including the likes of Voices in the Wilderness activist Kathy Kelly, one of the speakers and organizers of the permitted march on Wednesday. Kelly is a veteran activist who previously traveled to Iraq as one of the “human shields” and has been arrested within the U.S. on many prior occasions for past anti-war activism; as a result, Kelly may face jail time because of this latest arrest.

Other non-violent actions and small demonstrations, including a protest against Raytheon at the University of Illinois at Chicago and another one waged by Columbia College students against a recruiting station, were also held throughout the day.

Thursday’s actions in Chicago were part of a larger week of civil disobedience waged all across the country. One of the first acts of civil disobedience was undertaken against Chevron and Iraq war policies by the U.S. last Saturday, where up to fifty protesters locked themselves together in front of an Chevron-owned oil refinery in Redmond, California. In downtown Washington D.C. on Wednesday, up to thirty people were arrested that blockaded an Internal Revenue Service building. Over two-dozen people were arrested in San Francisco on Wednesday as well, in the midst of a die-in that completely blocked Market street in the downtown area. Five protesters who staged a sit-in at a Federal building in Wooster, Massachusetts were also taken into custody by local police authorities and arrested on Wednesday.

The Chicago Police Department is getting tired. And the people of Chicago are taking notice of the growing effectiveness of anti-war actions. This effectiveness is contributing to citywide movements to pass legislation in the city that states the city will oppose a preemptive attack on Iran. It is fueling desires for more leaders to be outspoken on the war in Iraq.

Take Action Now --- Call Cardinal George and demand charges are dropped: 312-751-8230 and submit letters of support to the local newspaper, Chicago Tribune

With the 4,000th casualty, another church in the Chicago area held the second protest in two days (although this one was supported by the church leadership). On a wall at St. James Episcopal Church in Chicago, 4,000 black squares, each inscribed with the name of a fallen soldier, were hung as a reminder of those Americans who have been lost in this war.

Says Michael McConnell of the American Friends Service Committee:

"I think we're at the place where the war is becoming very frustrating to many in our society and that we're going to see escalating actions of non-violence because this war has gone on for too long."
The people are tired of waiting for the media and the politicians to take the necessary steps to preserve what's left of this democracy and begin repairing it so future generations of Americans can have a future. They see how we have let a recidivist war criminal run this nation and its principles into the ground and see how the media has been complicit by refusing to cover real news, which is news that is necessary for Americans to preserve their freedom and democracy.

And the people aren't waiting for November to possibly see this war ended maybe by a candidate that gave an antiwar speech in 2002. They are interrupting Easter masses and shutting down businesses that are supporting operations in Iraq because they know that the only way to end this war is to make business and life as usual impossible---so impossible that our leaders respond by immediately withdrawing troops from Iraq, issuing reparations to Iraqis, and giving our veterans all the benefits they were promised before being deployed.

Take Action Now --- Call Cardinal George and demand charges are dropped: 312-751-8230 and submit letters of support to the local newspaper, Chicago Tribune


United States Office of Homeland Security, Cook County States Attorney, Illinois Attorney General, Illinois Secretary of State, Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weiss, Archdiocese of Chicago Law Office Take Action Now!

The Chicago News Media is not about to.

Code Stupid, Part VI: Snow Runs Off The Committed Mopes from Last Night's Action at Cardinal's Residence

My Godson, Bart, questioned the choice of 'domestic terrorist' in describing the violent assault on worshippers this past Sunday at the Easter Mass of Holy Name Cathedral by The Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War. Bart is a wonderful and thoughtful young man. Yep, domestic terrorist works here. Any act of violence perpetrated upon persons with no direct involvment in policy, strategy, or tactical involvement in any conflict is an act of terror. Bart thought that I have been watching too much Fox Cable News - Bill-O, Hannity, and that crew - the guys that Hate McCain. Not so, young nephew. I watch only local news NBC Channel 5, because the only news person with any brains or integrity is Mary Ann Ahern. But for comic relief, I tune in to the clown opera at MSNBC - The Tool Shed. MSNBC has more Tools on hand than the Sears Hardware Outlet on 111th Street.

Yesterday, the network sent out a press release calling for an 'Action' at Cardinal George's residence.

Didn't happen - the snow covered the commitment. 'These are Times that Try Men's Souls' and snow and Chicago wind off of LaSalle Drive and State parkway is tough on the timid.

Here is a report on the activities of the radical network that sparked the Easter Guerrilla Theatre:

First, we should examine the base element of the Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War and their supporters.

Catholic School Girls Against the War
The website for the Illinois Coalition for Peace and Justice (which evidently hosts the group’s Internet presence) describes the group as:

“...a humorous, political street theatre group composed of college students and young adults.”

It is obvious to even the most intellectually challenged that the designation “street theatre group” is an attempt to inoculate their actions; an attempt to re-define any of their civil disobedience – criminal acts – as “theatre.”

As far as the “humorous” description goes, I suppose humor is in the eye of the beholder, although I don’t believe that any of the young children in attendance at Holy Name Cathedral, children who were frightened by the actions of this group – in their place of worship, a place that is meant to provide sanctuary, found the splattering of fake blood and shrieks of agenda-driven insolence “humorous.”

Illinois Coalition for Peace & Justice
In their Structure & Statement of Values, the Illinois Coalition for Peace & Justice, which is linked to the Progressive Democrats of America website, claims their organization:

“...models a just and peaceful society...[resolving] to use our work in the Illinois Coalition for Peace and Justice as a model of equal and supportive relationships in a peaceful and just society...”

The ICPJ is by definition an anti-war protest organization. Where they claim to act as a coordinating organization, they facilitate the activities of a number of activist groups, including the American Muslim Council, the Campus Anti-War Network and Code Pink, to name just three.

Interestingly, their Structure & Statement of Values declaration says they:

“...work in common for: alternatives to militarism, global community, lives of active nonviolence, human rights for all, preservation of the environment...”

By disrupting a religious service and, in the process, creating fear among children and angst among adults, it is hard to see how the ICPJ – through its member organization, the Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War – promoted any of these tenets and/or values, especially “global community,” “nonviolence” or “human rights.”

International Solidarity Movement
The organization that sent a representative to act as a “witness” for the protesters, the International Solidarity Movement, is an anti-war organization but only where the United States and the West are concerned. In fact, it can be argued that they are vehemently anti-Western and anti-American.

The International Solidarity Movement is, according to Discover the Networks,

“...a radical, anti-Israel organization that recruits Westerners to travel to Israel to obstruct Israeli security operations...[they justify] Palestinian terrorism against Israeli civilians...”

Though the organization claims to adhere to a commitment to non-violence, its members openly call for the "liberation of Palestinians by any means necessary...[including] legitimate armed struggle."

One of the groups officials, Hisham Jam Joun, a veteran of the Marxist-Leninist terror group Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, led pro-Palestinian protests against the Israeli security barrier.

In 2003, two British nationals executed a suicide bombing in an Israeli bar that killed three people and wounded more than 50. In the course of their investigation into the bombing Israeli officials discovered that the bombers had met with International Solidarity Movement leaders just prior to carrying out the attack. This prompted the Israeli government to formally accuse the organization of maintaining ties to Palestinian terror entities. Said one IDF officer:

“...as far as we are concerned, ISM is not an international organization or a peace organization. It's a pro-Palestinian organization, set up by Palestinians, funded by Palestinians and linked to Palestinian terror."

In addition, the group continues to advocate for the release of Marwan Barghouti, a leader in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades. Barghouti was convicted of committing acts of terrorism and with the murders of 26 people through the facilitation of several suicide bombing events that took place in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

To put it mildly, there is nothing peaceful about the International Solidarity Movement or their actions. The causes for which they advocate are about as far away from “humorous, political street theatre” as one can get.

The Question of Constitutional Rights
The violent, intolerant, hypocritical and narcissistic nature of these groups exposed, the facet of this story that is truly shocking is this: These intellectually stunted malcontents attempted to deny the people attending Catholic Mass at Holy Name Cathedral their constitutionally guaranteed right to practice their religion, yet charges to this affect are not being explored. Instead they are being charged with felony criminal damage to property and misdemeanor simple battery.

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution specifically states:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

This guarantee of non-intervention by government with regard to religion, speech and assembly has been interpreted over the years to provide for the sanctity of religious practice, the protection of free speech and the inviolability of peaceable assembly.

By interrupting a religious service on its most holy of days (the resurrection of Christ, signified by the celebration of Easter, is the most glorified event in the Catholic faith, not Christmas, which signifies the birth of Christ) the Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War denied the parishioners their constitutional right to freely practice religion, they denied Cardinal Francis George his constitutional right to freedom of speech and religious practice and both their right to peaceably assemble.

That federal authorities are not exploring the possibility of charging, not only the six malcontents from Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War but the leaders of both the Illinois Coalition for Peace & Justice and the International Solidarity Movement, with violating the constitutional rights of the Cardinal and the parishioners of Holy Name Cathedral is a testimony to how little value we place on our constitutional rights, how delinquent we are in understanding the ideology behind our constitutional rights and our apathy in defending them when they are attacked.

Ingenuous protest is one thing and it is perfectly acceptable, but anarchist indignance goes beyond anything that can be deemed acceptable. Charge them, prosecute them and make an example out of them.

by Frank Salvato

Frank Salvato is a political media consultant, a freelance writer from the Midwest and the Managing Editor for www.TheRant.us . He is a contributing writer to OpinionEditorials.com and AmericanDaily.com. He has appeared as a guest panelist on The O’Reilly Factor and his pieces are regularly featured in Townhall.com and occasionally featured in The Washington Times as well as other national publications.


http://www.opinioneditorials.com/guestcontributors/fsalvato_20080328.html

A young woman in New York, by the name of Katie O'Malley, offers this insight:

Once content to thump drums and dig deep for chants that rhyme, the “peace” movement’s foothold on the public soapbox has slipped. The peaceniks -- ANSWER, MoveOn.org, Code Pink and the rest -- are in the midst of very public identity crisis. They are facing, for the first time, visible and vocal opposition to both their words and their methods. And it has made them angry….very angry….angry enough to (pause for dramatic effect) use violence as an option!

As organizations have come together to face them in the streets (and have successfully released the left’s stranglehold on activism and the media) the lefties have revealed their inner violent streak to which they have always proclaimed an immunity.

We have certainly seen incidents of violence within the misnamed “peace” movement since its inception decades ago. These lovers of dialogue and group hugs have bombed buildings (just ask Obama’s “acquaintance” William Ayers of the Weather Underground), stormed institutions and screamed vile and evil comments to Vietnam Veterans, since they first began their activism. In Ayers memoir, “Fugitive Days,” he goes so far as to write, “I don’t regret setting bombs. I didn’t do enough.” At least he is honest about it. ( emphasis my own)
His disturbing perspective and the inherently un-peaceful legacy of the 1960s peace movement has been enthusiastically embraced by the newest generation, tutored by the aging hippies of yore.

A steady uptick in violence against the military has been unfolding in recent months. The recruiting station in Washington, DC at 14th & L, the site of a storming and trashing on February 15, received additional overtures of “peace” last week when rocks were thrown at the windows and the exterior of the building, DC Metro police and counter protestors there to support the recruiters, were covered in red paint lobbed at them. What happened to daisies? They don’t stain and they don’t hurt!

The Times Square recruiting station in New York was the site of a bombing on March 6. Recruiters in Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Texas and Tennessee have all been the recipients of this special kind of leftist love in the last 12 months, just to name a few. Counter protestors in Berkley have not received hugs and love, but instead have been shoved and hit with signs proclaiming “Give Peace a Chance.”

Katie O'Malley of New York

Click my post title for more of Katie O'Malley's thoughts.

Code Stupid Part IV - Hamerhard Media, Michael Moore, Andy Thayer, Kevin Clark, Catholic Schoolgirls Against The War and Bloody Sunday

The Nut Bag is Deep. Kevin Clark of International Solidarity Movement(ISM) a thoroughly discredited wing of the Palestine terror network that helped get people killed in 2003 and Chicago Media group Hamerhard Media; party planners for violent acts, n'cest pas? Michale Moore touting the work of Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War - produced by Funded Organizations listed below. Who says stuff just happens?

Yesterday, Easter Mass worshippers at Holy Name Cathedral Annex were violently assaulted by six domestic terrorists/martyrs/goofs/ISM-stooges/ whatever. All six were arrested and charged with felonies. One of their witnesses Kevin Clark, 57 of International Solidarity Movement - discredited by Mother Jones as responsible if not complicit in the deaths of some people in Gaza in 2003 disappeared from the Chicago Tribune reports this morning. Bad idea Tribune - that is why no one is buying the Sun Times.

Turns out Kevin Clark has a friend in Michael Moore - the Reverse Gandhi of the American Left. Michael Moore touts Hamer Hard Media for it's fine work in this guerrilla theatre at Holy Name yesterday.

Hamer Hard Media -Here's Who we are:

Who we are Our history Our partners

Who we are: HammerHard Mediaworks is a worker-run non-profit collective of media professionals and activists committed to media advocacy, skills-sharing and movement-building in partnership with grassroots progressive groups.

Our history: HammerHard MediaWorks was jumpstarted in Chicago in 1995 by activist and communications worker Christine Geovanis, who needed a handle for press outreach to support the family of a mentally ill man who was beaten to death in front of his wife and children by two Chicago police officers. Today, HammerHard’s core collective includes Chris, independent media activist Richard Reilly, audio and video producer Allan Gomez, policy analyst Joleen Kirschenman, LGBT activist Philana Fisher, Palestinian solidarity activist Mahmud Ahmad, community activist Andy Thayer, stellar graphic designer Emily Lonigro and a rolling crew of volunteer partners and interns who keep the work going. Collective members have worked on issues that range from rank-and-file trade union democracy and immigrant rights to Palestinian solidarity and police brutality. Active projects today include tactical and public relations planning in projects revolving around police brutality, anti-war initiatives, and media access issues.

Our partners: Groups with whom we have a standing relationship or have worked with recently include Jewish Voice for Peace, the Chicago Coalition Against War & Racism, Carpenters for a Democratic Union, Peace Pledge/Chicago, the Free Palestine Alliance, the Arab American Action Network, Houston Global Awareness, People Power Can End the War Coalition, United Students Against Sweatshops, Smartmeme, PERRO -- the Pilson Environmental Rights & Reforms Organization, Democracy Uprising, the DNC to RNC March Project, the Stop CAT Coalition, the 8th Day Center for Justice, ISM -- the International Solidarity Movement, Chicago Action Medical.

Here's What They Do:

What we do How we work

What we do: Our collective members provide press outreach, tactical planning, public relations, and training in organizing and outreach to grassroots projects fighting for economic and social justice. The project is run – as it was from the day it was created – as a pro bono effort, although we have on the rare occasion allowed a project to kick us a couple of bucks. Our individual collective members also work on contract to spec on a variety of projects.

The HammerHard collective's philosophy is simple: help get the word out about stories that have to be told – and empower the people whose lives drive those stories to change the root conditions that thwart justice today. That philosophy is imbued with a couple of key concepts:

►First, media strategies must be embedded in a larger strategic organizing approach, so that core organizing goals always drive the messaging – and safeguard the integrity of the organizing effort.

►Second, movement-building is intrinsically bound to community- building, and wherever possible our work is designed to connect groups and people across shared lines of concern and common points of unity.

►Third, our collective strength is built on the struggles and accumulated wisdom of the people and projects who’ve broken ground before us. It is our right and our responsibility to pass these strengths along, free from the constraints of the commercial ‘imperatives’ that commonly undercut social and economic justice.

How we work: We run this volunteer effort collectively, and are always open to sharing our resources, collaborating with people and projects that share our goals, and working with groups to allow them to take control of their own media work and broader organizing. We are also committed to tapping into the burgeoning environments of new media, technology and information-sharing that have evolved in recent years as alternatives to traditional modes of media and organizing work. That said, we recognize that some traditional approaches – including people-to-people outreach and a renewed interest in approaches that are rooted in direct democracy – continue to have enormous value in our work. While we’re happy to manage media messaging and tactical planning for our partners, we are also deeply committed to sharing the skills and resources that allow grassroots projects to seize control of their own messaging and strengthen their organizing efforts.


And Michael Moore touts their efforts on his site:

March 24th, 2008 12:42 am
Fake Blood, Real Arrests in Holy Name Cathedral Easter Service Disruption


WBBM 780

Six anti-war protestors have been charged following an Easter service disruption at Holy Name Cathedral in the Loop Sunday morning.

Three men and three women were arrested at 735 N. State St. at the 11:40 a.m. service. Cardinal Francis George was leading services at the Parish Center because of construction at the main Cathedral. The protestors discharged packets of fake blood. Some of it splattered parishioners.

The men arrested: 21-year-old Donte D. Smith, 22-year-old Ephran Ramirez, Jr., and 25-year-old Ryane J. Ziemba.

The women arrested: 18-year-old Mercedes Phinaih, 25-year-old Regan Maher and 20-year-old Angela Haban.

All six protestors have been charged with two counts of felony criminal damage to property and two counts of simple battery.

As Cardinal George began his homily, the protesters stood up to stage what they called a Die-In.

Protestors denounced the Cardinal for meeting this past January with President Bush, who they label a war criminal.

Ushers rushed in to remove the protestors along with some Chicago police officers who were stationed in the lobby to help with traffic control. The demonstrators also laid down – passive resistance -- to make it more difficult for them to be removed. The anti-war group “Catholic Schoolgirls Against The War” has claimed responsibility for the protest. They took part in the Wednesday Loop protest on the fifth anniversary of the start of the war. The Illinois Coalition for Peace and Justice lists them as members and describes the group this way: "Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War is a humorous, political street threatre group composed of college students and young adults. The group was formed in October of 2006 and meets twice per month."

After the brief interruption, the Cardinal took a moment to talk about the "peace" that God gives the faithful. He said he was grateful to those who interrupted his homily so that he could deliver that message.

The six are scheduled in court a week from Monday, March 31.

The group sat through the Mass until Cardinal George reached the homily. A few seconds into the main holiday message, the protestors rose from their seats, turned to address the thousands of parishioners in the auditorium and talked about the continuing death of both Iraqis and Americans in Iraq, according to a release from HammerHard.

Hamerhard Mediaworks is also a ICPJ member, listed this way: "HammerHard Mediaworks is a worker-run non-profit collective of media professionals and activists committed to media advocacy, skills-sharing and movement-building in partnership with grassroots progressive groups."

WBBM NewsRadio 780's Michele Fiore, CBS2 and The Sun-Times News Group wire contributed to this report.

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/latestnews/index.php?id=11166

So let's see - Blood on Easter, Six Goofs in Custody, Kevin Clark and ISM involvement, Andy Thayer Local Goofball tied to Cop Lawsuit King Jon Loevy, - you can not make this stuff up!


http://www.hammerhard.org/whoweare.html

Code Stupid Part III: Kevin Clark of Solidarity International Movement Gets His Name Out There and the Six Mopes Wait for Bond Hearing

ISM Clowns for Peace Antagonizing an Israeli Soldier.





Kev,

ISM and your no small part in the efforts got some some people killed in the Middle East. You need more attention.

Let me help:

The Six Goofs who committed an act of violence on Easter Sunday worshippers at Holy Name Cathedral, yesterday, appear to be acting in coordination with Kevin Clark ( click my Post Title for the link to the AP story) a Leader of the Internationals Solidarity Movement - a group that works with Palestinian terrorist organizations and whose activities have brought about the deaths of ISM members.

Kevin Clark wants some attention. Here goes - this is from a report on ISM activities, by :Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik, the famous Torah scholar,
emphasized that Jews have a religious obligation to
defend the community from attack.

More Evidence of the International Solidarity Movement's Support for Violence
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The three messages below are taken from the April 2002 postings on a listserv of a New York City affiliate of the International Solidarity Movement (Independent Media Center) that describes itself thus: [Ref. 21]

This list is for those interested in travelling to Palestine for direct action in support of Palestinian human rights. The next delegation will be from March 29 - April 12. The following delegation is currently planned for June.

Like many e-mail messages, these were typed carelessly. We reproduce them as they appear on the list, only once adding a single letter in parentheses to make the meaning plain.

The messages were posted in the spring of 2002, a period during which hundreds of Israelis were murdered and hundreds more were maimed during the worst onslaught of terror attacks in Israel's history. Israel, which had held its fire during a year and a half of terror attacks that began at Rosh HaShanah 2001, responded in April of 2002 by sending the Israel Defense Force into the UNRWA camps to arrest the terrorists and destroy the bomb factories.


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Message 1: [Ref. 22]

Earlier in the day, Arafat called on the international community to put an end to Israeli brutality against the Palestinian people in a message through an International Solidarity team that managed to enter his office and portray his message to the world.

Arafat praised Palestinian determination in the face of Israeli racism and terrorism using all sorts of American weapons to carry out aggression against the Palestinians.

Arafat told his people, "Together until a Palestinian child raises the Palestinian flag over Jerusalem's walls, mosques and churches."


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Message 2: [Ref. 23]


From: "pcrbs"
Date: Tue, 02 Apr 2002 14:14:52 -0000

Urgent call for Internationals to come to Palestine.

The International Solidarity Movement ISM calls upon who ever can
come to Palestine to come. you are all needed now. ISM and GIPP
groups in Ramallah and Bethlehem are doing great. They are the only
(p)rotection for President Arafat, they are with families in camps,
joining ambulances. Your presence makes a difference. if you can
find your way into Jerusalem we will do our best to get you in
Bethlehem or Ramallah.


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Message 3: [Ref. 24]


----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Cc: ;
Sent: Wednesday, April 03, 2002 12:41 AM
Subject: US/palestine solidarity...from the camps 4/3


> fwd if you dare.. (do you guys ever get in trouble for this?)
>
> peace,
> kevin
>
> Dehaishe refugee camp, west bank. 6am
> it is storming again, and was much of the night...the thunder competing
with the tank fire in the distance. It was the thunder that has a much
nicer sound...rich, rolling, you feel it deep in the bones...the sound of
the tanks was puny in comparison.
>
> the weather has probably been a very good thing...it is cold and wet and
windy...not good weather for fighting...at least all the israelis are
outside in the cold, while the few fighters they chase are holed up at least
dry,..if not warm.
>
> I am not sure what is the latest status of the fighting..in this area it
is mostly centered around the other camps (ayda and aza) and in bethlehem
itself

> there are a lot of casualties reported..
>
> none of the resistace here had any opinion that they could actually hold
out for long...bethlehem is too easy to take militarily. for the people
here anyway, they are saying al aqsa is over...
>
> al aqsa..this intifada
>
> they decided that this intifada they would try "any means necessary" &
they have tried a lot over 50 yrs of struggle.
>
> In the last intifada the tried coordinated nonviolence, the participation
of all sectors of society -but still the israelis crushed it without
international society rising up to support the palestinians.
>
> over and over you hear this..it is heartbreraking..the people fighting
here do not expect to win on their own. many keep expecting the world and
especially the US to step in somehow...even though they realize it is the US
that has been the major partner in their suffering for all this time.
>
> This time, this intifada they said, they talked to their grandmothers, and
the grandmothers agreed..50 yrs is too much, it is better to die a martyr,
to give that for the cause of freedom, than to live this way any longer.
>
> no matter the cost in palestinian blood, as long as there was enough
israeli blood they will eventually win...the israelis will eventually tire
of this...
>
> it is impossible to say if they are right or not, but judging from the
israelis latest, massive and unprecedented response many have doubts..
>
> they expect the worst from the israelis in the coming weeks (three to four
weeks of proposed martial law, with god knows how many casualties and
killings) the virtual destruction of the palestinian authority, and all of
the infrastructure here- that is already almost accomplished.
>
> what will take over then?
>
> so WHAT CAN WE DO? as democracy loving internationalists? and anti
authoritarians?
>
> do everything that is possible...it is a historical moment in this
struggle, no one has seen this before, so no one can predict the outcome.
>
> there are a lot of voices here, really smart ones, eager to see further
alignment between this struggle and the face of the struggle represented by
seattle/durban/porto allegre..we can build those relationships..learn a lot
from each other.
>
> students can support the local divestment campaigns at their schools with
all of the direct action tactics that have been so successful in the
past...if there is not a divestment campaign at your school, start one now.
>
> work with other finacial pressure campaigns like SUSTAIN,- divestment and
boycotts were succeful before in the aparthied struggles.
>
> and more international solidarity trips are extremely welcome by the
palestinian people. when this phase of the struggle is over, and martial
law is lifted, there is a lot for people to do here..and lot of
relationships that can be built. many many europeans are doing it. "we
need more americans over here" is what everyone is saying.
>
> just my opinion..
>
> apologies again for the commentary..but this is open publishing after all.
>
> k

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Note that in the message above, the writer, Kevin, appears to be fully cognizant of the whereabouts of the "fighters" the IDF is pursuing. He regrets that the Palestinian fighters will lose unless the international community "rises up" to support them, and he offers the strategic reason given by Palestinian leaders in support of terrorism. "No matter the cost in Palestinian blood, as long as there was enough Israeli blood they will eventually win. The Israelis will eventually tire of this." Then he asks "What can we do?" His answer is that we can "do everything that is possible" and he holds up the "face of the struggle represented by Seattle, Durban, and Porto Alegre."

Seattle, Durban, and Porto Alegre were large-scale riots, during which crowds surged through city streets smashing windows and looting businesses. It is an odd model for a movement that purports to espouse non-violence. But, then, the Durban conference, condemned by the world for the flagrant Jew-hatred on display, is an odd model for any decent person to wish to emulate. ( Emphasis my own:Kevin Clark? Our Boy Witness in Solidarity with the Catholic School Girls - three of whom are what appear to be males - well, that is Solidarity, afterall.)

Sheltering Terrorists
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In a widely publicized incident that made many doubt the ISM's claims that it does not collaborate with terrorists, Susan Barclay, an ISM organizer later deported by Israel, attempted to hide Islamic Jihad terrorist Shadi Sukiya in the ISM office in Jenin while the IDF searched the building for him. An ISM spokesman claimed that Barclay had no way of knowing who the man was—although that would hardly justify her attempt to prevent a search of the ISM offices by an officer of the law who was searching for an identified terrorist. The spokesman went on to say that he was not certain how he would behave if he were himself given the opportunity to shelter a known terrorist from the police.

Tom Wallace, 43, who has traveled from Boston to work as the ISM's spokesperson in Jenin, says the ISMers in Jenin had no idea who Sukiya was when they took him in that morning, and that they were only trying to help a man in distress. And if, in the future, someone who the ISM knows to be a terrorist shows up at the office door requesting assistance? "He's still someone who's hurt and needs help," Tom says, adding that ISM members in Jenin are now debating this very question. "Honestly, I don't know the answer." One year earlier, ISM volunteers went to great lengths to enter the Arafat compound for the purpose of acting as human shields for Arafat and for the terrorists that the ISM volunteer writing this journal entry proudly refers to as the "Ze'evi Five" in honor of the Israeli Cabinet minister whom they murdered.

Presidential Compound

On 21 April, Israeli forces redeployed from areas in Ramallah but maintained their tight besiegement of the presidential compound and the surrounding neighborhoods, which comprise much of El Bireh. Inside the compound, Arafat was confined to less than one building in the compound and was surrounded by security personnel, top advisors, a handful of international solidarity movement personnel, as well as the "Ze'evi Five" (those accused of being involved in the assassination of Israeli Minister of Tourism, Rehav'am Ze'evi on 18 September 2001).

IDF position

Numerous international organizations operate in Israel and the Palestinain-controlled territories, including the Red Cross, the Mennonite Church relief workers, and literally dozens of others. Only the ISM has acquired a special status in the eyes of Israel security. In a recent interview, an IDF officer stated the official position plainly. "We have nothing against the internationals," says a senior IDF officer. "But, as far as we are concerned, ISM is not an international organization or a peace organization. It's a pro-Palestinian organization, set up by Palestinians, funded by Palestinians and linked to Palestinian terror."



The Palestinian Solidarity Movement: the American, Student Arm of the International Solidarity Movement
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The International Solidarity Movement prefers to remain an unincorporated, informal movement for many reasons, perhaps the most important of which is that this allows movement leaders to disavow incriminating actions and statements by other movement leaders. For example, when Charlotte Kates, leader of New Jersey Solidarity, gave numerous interviews to the press in the summer of 2003 in which she endorsed suicide bombing, other movement leaders claimed that she was not part of the ISM, and she herself claimed to have left the ISM and joined al Awda instead.

Even as this split was taking place, however, the Solidarity Movement was sponsoring a July 2003 "Wheels of Justice" speaking tour. In announcements advertising the tour, Al-Awda, the Palestinian Right to Return Coalition, Voices in the Wilderness, and the Middle East Children's Alliance describe themselves as "Affiliates of the International Solidarity Movement." [Ref. 25]

Similarly, in September of 2003, Adam Shapiro, cofounder of the International Solidarity Movement answered telephone inquiries from the AMCHA office in New York regarding the upcoming National Conference of the Palestinian Solidarity Movement by denying that the ISM and the PSM were formally related in any manner. However, at the Second Annual Conference of the Palestinian Solidarity Movement, held at the University of Michigan in October 2002 and at which Adam Shapiro was a featured speaker, the delegates to the Palestinian Solidarity conference voted to formalize their support of the International Solidarity Movement. [Ref. 26]

Throughout this period, campus groups affiliated with the Palestinian Solidarity Movement, which functions as the American, campus arm of the ISM, continued to travel to Israel, where they worked as volunteer activists under the auspices of the ISM, calling themselves members of ISM while in Israel and members of PSM upon returning to campus.

The Palestine Solidarity Movement consistently refuses to condemn terrorism. The Freeman Center at Duke set the following statement as a necessary common ground to enable dialogue to take place: "We condemn the murder of innocent civilians, whether by individuals, groups, or nations, anywhere in the world." The Chronicle, the student daily newspaper at Duke, reported as follows: [Ref. 27]

PSM's policy does not allow it to condemn any particular action. Thus, the first statement, "We condemn the murder of innocent civilians, whether by individuals, groups, or nations, anywhere in the world" is inconsistent with PSM's philosophy.

Rann Bar-On, designated spokesman for Hiwar, the PSM-affiliated group at Duke University responsible for hosting the Fourth National Conference, was interviewed by The Herald-Sun in Durham and was quoted as follows: [Ref. 28]

"We don't see it as very useful for us as a solidarity movement to condemn violence. That will not achieve any particular goal."

For More:

http://home.comcast.net/~jat.action/ISM_essay.htm



I gotta wonder if ISM, which has such history in Illinois, if dubious outreach to Middle Terror might not have some connection to Tony Rezko and Nadhmi Auchi. Solidarity breeds some strange partnerships - take a look at the six goofs awaiting today's bond hearings. Bloody Big Bond?