Erik Nilsson

Critics of the School of Americas, the base of U.S. training for Latin American militaries, are currently taking legislative and demonstrative action against the school, which has been criticized for instructing militaries in tactics that include human rights abuses. A three day vigil to begin Nov. 21 at the gates of the school, Fort Benning in Columbus, GA, and support for HR1258, the bill to close the school, are actions called for by human rights groups in response to the abuses incorporated in the school’s curriculum and performed by the school’s graduates. The school was closed for less than a month and reopened as the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation in 2001.

These critics name the school as “terrorist” in nature, because SOA training manuals the Pentagon was forced to release in 1996 openly called for torture, extortion, and execution. In addition, the manuals call for militarily targeting civilians, including those who support “union organizing or recruiting,” distribute “propaganda in favor of the interest of workers,” “sympathize with demonstrations or strikes,” and make “accusations that the government has failed to meet the basic needs of the people." (More)

The Global Renaissance Alliance is sponsoring a lobbying effort to create a U.S. Department of Peace (H.R. 1673). The group is currently leading a mass mailing campaign to Congress, and is urging constituents to help, and came to drum up support in Saginaw at the World Without Violence Peace Fair, June 28. The DOP bill would establish nonviolence as an organizing principle of American society, providing the U.S. President with an array of peace-building policy options for domestic and international use. The Department would focus on nonmilitary peaceful conflict resolutions, prevent violence, and promote justice and democratic principles to expand human rights. (More)

Surely, there is no conclusive evidence of life on other planets, but in our ancient history there are legends about another, vastly intelligent race that lived billions of years ago, billions of light years away.

Ancient hieroglyphs found on cavern walls throughout the world tell of triangular or tubular craft that flew into the heavens. These craft were remarkable. They not only flew, but also would often drop capsules that would create blinding flashes of light and incinerate everything close to where they fell. This species could communicate with all the other members of their species through the air, even if these other members were on the other side of the planet. They could put thoughts into little cubes, and the cubes could think about these thoughts too. Yes, certainly, this was an unimaginably strange race, not much like us at all. (More)

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