contributions

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1207-27.htm
John C. Bonifaz, founder and general counsel of the National Voting Rights Institute, presented this speech before the "Fight for Democracy" rally in Columbus, Ohio, on December 4, 2004:
We serve as co-counsel for presidential candidates David Cobb and Michael Badnarik in their demand for a full recount of all votes cast in Ohio for President in the 2004 general election.
In a democracy, votes must count and every citizen’s vote must be (…)

Ohio Election Investigation Thwarted by Surprise Blackwell Order
Dayton, Ohio Friday December 10, 2004
On Friday December 10 two certified volunteers for the Ohio Recount team assigned to Greene County were in process recording voting information from minority precincts in Greene County, and were stopped mid-count by a surprise order from Secretary of State Blackwell’s office. The Director Board of Elections stated that “all voter records for the state of Ohio were “locked-down,” and now (…)

summary:
We have entranced ourselves and fallen under a self-created spell if we imagine that the past exists in a solid, objective way. To quote Wheeler “It is wrong to think of that past as ‘already existing’.....the past has no existence except as it is recorded in the present.”
When we become convinced that the past exists in a solid way, we solidify it in our imagination as being that particular way, which will thereby create compelling evidence that proves the rightness of our (…)

by Maarten Vanheuverswyn
UNICEF has just released its annual report, which reveals most shocking figures. Almost one billion children all over the world are denied at least one of seven commodities deemed essential: shelter, water, sanitation, schooling, information, healthcare and food. At least 640 million children lack adequate shelter, while 140 million have never been to school. Safe water is something that 400 million children are denied while 500 million live without basic (…)

by Rabbi Mordechi Weberman
There are those who ask us why we march with the Palestinians. Why do we raise the Palestinian flag? Why do we support the Palestinian cause?
“You are Jews!” they tell us. "What are you doing?"
And our response is very simple:
It is precisely because we are Jews that we march with the Palestinians and raise their flag!
It is precisely because we are Jews that we demand that the Palestinian peoples be returned to their homes and properties!
Yes, in our (…)

by Khalid Amayreh
A group of Israeli soldiers serving in the Gaza Strip have reportedly admitted killing a 15-year-old Palestinian in Khan Yunus for sport.
According to the Israeli newspaper Yediot Ahronoth, the incident took place in March when a group of newly graduated soldiers were on a hike near the town of Khan Yunus.
According to the report, an undisclosed number of Givati brigade soldiers shot and killed Khalid Sulaiman Mahdi while he was working with his father on their farm. (…)

By Jane Stillwater No, I’m not identifying with Peter Pan these days because America has become NeverNeverLand. I identify with Peter Pan because I’m just a little guy up against the Prince of Darkness. "Jane! Don’t you know that all your efforts aren’t doing any good? You are just one little person up against a 100-trillion-dollar mob. Give it up!" Never. I’ll just think happy thoughts, cover myself with pixie dust and keep dreaming of a better world. If accepting (…)

RACHEL KONRAD
As the Electoral College prepares to certify President Bush’s re-election on Monday, concerns persist about the integrity of the nation’s voting system - particularly in Ohio, where details continue to emerge of technology failures, voter confusion and overcrowded polling stations in minority and poor neighborhoods.
Few mainstream politicians dispute Bush’s victory, and the incumbent’s 3.5 million-vote margin nationwide was wider than any of the reported problems, which (…)

ILLEGAL NANNY KOS KERIK AT HOMELAND
http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/32657.htm
By DEBORAH ORIN and ZACH HABERMAN
December 11, 2004 — Former city top cop Bernard Kerik, who was set to take over the reigns as secretary of homeland security, shocked the nation last night when he withdrew his name from consideration because of a problem with an apparently illegal nanny.
Two lawyers working with Kerik on his upcoming confirmation as secretary uncovered that at one point last year (…)

A Fairbanks-based group dropped off an application Wednesday with the Alaska Division of Elections for a recount of the U.S. Senate race.
The state has five days to schedule a recount, Godkin said. In this case, he expects it would begin Monday and take three to four days to complete. Group files application for state recount of Senate race
http://www.adn.com/alaska/story/5890308p-5802207c.html
By RACHEL D’ORO The Associated Press
(Published: December 9, 2004)
Joe Sonneman, (…)