A Concert To Benefit the Fund for Civility, Respect and Understanding

Benefit

It is very, very difficult to try to talk about anything good associated with the January 8th assassination attempt on U. S. House of Representative Member, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords that left six dead and 13 physically wounded.  Countless Tucson families and citizens and all the networks all these people touched were also emotionally changed, and indeed the very community itself was injured, for when a community member is hurt, the community itself is injured.  And Tucson is a community.  We are the biggest small town in America.  We are healing, but the perception of our community, our dear Old Pueblo, is forever changed.  When talking heads use the word Tucson now they are referring to a few seconds of violence, the act of a madman, that attempted to change the vibe (We talk that way here.) of Tucson.  It isn't going to happen;  Tucson will be more like Tucson than ever in the coming weeks, months and years.  Not all communities could attract such a diverse and positive musical outreach and support network as Tucson has in  the Benefit Concert featuring Jackson Browne, Alice Cooper for the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona's Fund for Civility, Respect, and Understanding.

Click to go to ticket site. 

  

Lineup

There is an amazingly diverse line up and it is perfect.  These are all performers who have a reason to be here other than just for a pro bono feather in their service caps.   Zelisko has been promoting shows in Arizona since 1974.  Jackson Browne has had Arizona connections for a long, long time.  And I mean that in the best of all possible ways.  In the '90s I traveled up to the Verde Valley Music Festival that happened every year during the first weekend in October until 2001 when air traffic came to a roaring halt mid-September.  Alice Cooper, has lived in Phoenix/Scottsdale most of his life (even when he was Vincent Damon Furnier, and you know, I can see him as a "Vinnie") and his Christian faith certainly aligns with the cause of this concert.  Calexico IS Tucson in so many ways. Ozomatli used to play Tucson a bunch and it will be good to have them break their boycott of Arizona and show the rest of the country that Tucson doesn't deserve to be boycotted for the things Phoenix does.  Welcome back! I've seen Crosby and Nash in Tucson before, usually with another guy often linked with them.   I've seen Keb 'Mo play in Tucson,  Lofgren plays through Tucson too,  Roger Clyne is from Tempe and a third generation Arizonan, Joel Rafael wrote "This Is My Country" that was covered by Crosby and Nash and included in the Barry Levinson documentary, "Poliwood." You may remember Sam Moore from "Sam and Dave."  Milton 'Quiltman' Sahme has worked as a composer and vocalist on soundtracks & occasionally tours with John Trudell. Jerry Riopelle lives in Scottsdale and is probably best known for producing music.  And Dar Williams, what can I say about her except that as one of the very small minority of women performers in this line up she will have no problem representing anything and everything you may want or need to have reflected in this show --as she is a singer and songwriter who can present viewpoints and essences of being with amazingly deft nuance and skill.   And speaking of smarts and talent, Jennifer Warnes, is well a music legend even if you don't recognize her name at first.  She has won Oscars and Grammy Awards for songs you know all the words to, but Jennifer is perfect for this concert because as she says about music, "I'm more interested in how close we can get through the music."

Tucson

Tucson so deserves to have great musicians play here and I think with this concert it is clear that Tucson has been exempted from the boycott of Arizona over the discriminatory 1070 law.  Instead of boycotting Tucson I think people from far and wide should inundate Arizona and talk to the people of state.  Come and support non-right wing, non-politico artisans and businesses  that are a far more fair representation of us than the big corporate money and religious minorities that control the politics of this state.   If you have not heard, some of us are so adamant about the distinction between us and the rest of Arizona that we want to secede from Arizona and become the 51st state. For more info just check out the Start Our State movement.  

Secession has absolutely nothing to do with January 8th.  But I just loved Fitz's cartoon and he is a great guy and didn't deserve the muzzling his corporate media boss gave him when they demanded he apologize for speaking to reporters as a private citizen when he happened to be in that parking lot that infamous Saturday morning.  But hey if you want to keep your job you have to do things that make you cringe at times. 

Ok, back to Tucson, we Tucsonans really try to be civil and peaceably live together.  We are a University town, we are one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in North America.  We are artists, writers, musicians, hikers, birders, and we have given rise to many  political families as well.  People who come to Tucson, even if they move on through it, are touched by it.  

Women participate in politics here, we won the right to vote in 1912 here in Arizona.   Look at Gabby Giffords, a Democrat who won a hard fought battle for what had been a Republican seat.  Look at all the women who came out to talk to Gabby that Saturday.  And by the way if you have not read Suzi Hileman's blog, The Burrow, the civic minded and loving neighbor of Christina-Taylor Green, The Burrow,  I highly recommend that you do.  It is inspiring.  It is very Tucson.  Hileman chose to live here in Tucson because it is such a great place. 

Oh we need this concert, just like we needed the UMC vigil that lasted for weeks and helped us to meet and heal and pray, and like we needed the uplifting words of our President here in our town.   The shootings come back into the news this Wednesday, two days from now,  when a court date is set for the shooter and our wounds will hurt all over again, but this concert will help all of us to heal and will provide significant assistance to all those directly hurt by that madman's actions and tools.   

Giffords was TARGETED by Palin

Maura Policelli, Rep. Giffords Chief of Staff speaks to DFA and Congressional District 8 constituents

This evening's public meeting with Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' Chief of Staff organized by DFA TUCSON which took place at the City of Tucson Ward 6 Office focused on the topic of impeachment. At times a couple of outbursts that were a bit beyond the bounds of civil discourse. But given the intense emotion and passion that was palpable amongst all of the attendees the overall meeting went fairly well.

DFA had sent a list of 11 questions all focused on some aspect of the possibility of and reasons for the need to Impeach Bush, Cheney et al which Ms. Policelli attempted to address. Truth be told the questions were lost in the overall repeated attempts of most of the attendees to impress upon Policelli that Giffords constituency is extremely concerned about the successful Bush regime attacks on the U.S. Constitution and the slow but steady erosion of our liberty and democratic principles.

At first Policelli stuck to the script and responded in rather predictable Capitol Hill procedure-ese. "The Freshman Congressperson (as a generic entity) has little to no influence... Giffords has let it be known that the abuses to our system of government by the Executive Branch in this administration is unconscionable... No call for an investigation is before the House, the only thing before the House is the actual call for Impeachment which has no more than 50 votes... It would be worse to attempt to impeach and not reach the number as that in some ways would vindicate the Bush administration...There isn't time before the administration leaves office... our country is still the best...at least we don't kill each other..."

And then she said, "It isn't going to happen. Impeachment just isn't going to happen."

Question after question from the attendees focused on simple variations of a theme, "what can we do to get Giffords to understand that the restoration of the rule of law and upholding her oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution are the most important tasks for every elected official in Congress."

There were variations voiced, "All the other problems faced by our country are connected to the criminal actions of this regime." "We don't want to hear defeatist rhetoric." "We need those Freshmen Congresspersons to live up to the mandate the people gave them when they were elected and brought the Democrats back into power on The Hill. How can we get our country back to governance by elected officials representing the people and away from governance bought and paid for by Global Corporations? The duty to restore balance among the three branches of government. The likelihood that people will leave the Democratic Party if this Congress doesn't do something, anything to check the Bush Gang." There were a few side issues brought up but for the most part the focus was on impeachment.

I don't know how many of those present had spoken with Ms. Policelli prior to this evening, but from my perspective from meeting her in January 2007 in the newly established and not yet unpacked Giffords office, I think she has come a long way. I can't speak to whether Giffords has changed but the candor Policelli showed during the last half of the meeting tonight was distinctly different from the far more closed attitude I encountered when I spent a month in D.C. a year ago as a member of CODEPINK Women for Peace as we were first trying to establish a long-term nationally drawn Pink Presence on The Hill. Tonight she used words like horrific, abuse, blatant, and the like to describe the consequences of the Bush II administration's disregard for the laws of our country. She did hear us.

She will be getting back to the local DFA about having Giffords petition her colleagues to have an investigation. She definitely heard the message that if impeachment isn't accomplished before the election Bush will pardon everyone and his or her brother and sister before he leaves office. She also knows that we want Giffords to speak to this topic in a larger town meeting type gathering.

Maybe I will post more on the topic. But for now... that is it. It is a minute until midnight and I still have other work to get done before I sleep.

Multi-Banner Drop in the Hart Bldg. after talking with Gabby's staff.

29 JANUARY 2007

NOTES FROM GABBY’S folks.
Marched from the Pink House to Cannon.

Actually I was supposed to go with the Pinkers to Rayburn & the Shoe distribution.

My shoe has Ashref Katjhem Gasem name attached. She was 5.

Got to 502 Cannon after navigating the corridors, construction and ---- and ------ were already there. I wrote out a hasty note as Maura hired a new staff member – a young gentleman hired just minutes before. There was pleasant chitchat until Daniel Graver arrived and I realized he was the gentleman I’ve given the pink balls of courage to to give to Gabby at a bar in Tucson where there was a heckle the tv state of the union watching party last year.

We shook hands and agreed we’d met before….and I sensed a bit of not altogether comfortable anticipation . We went with Daniel to Gabby’s office to chat. -------opened on a political campaign note.

He began writing a few of the UFPJ points down that we’d put our own spin on.
Troops home now. Iraqi people against us. Cut funding.

Also she ran as a progressive , why hasn’t she joined the progressive caucus?

What is she doing in the next two weeks to stop the illegal nuclear weapon use of the US on Iraq in three weeks? We have to observe the nuclear nonproliferation treaty.

Jill & John from KBRP Bisbee came in part way into our mtg and began taping.

And Maura switched with Dan to field questions.

Walked with them to the Hart bldg. Met Ellen. Walked back to the Rayburn bldg. Got coffee and talked to Robin and Julia about their lobbying in the afternoon.

At noon we joined a white rose action at the inner court yard fountain . I laid a card down and a few roses as the names of Iraqi dead were read. The frozen water and flowers were as stark a testimony to the dead as any I’ve seen or in which I’ve participated. Didn’t want to be arrested so I left for the Dirkson Bldg. Which is where I met up with Sam and Maureen (newbie) and walked to the Hart Bldg.

The atrium of the Hart Bldg is perfect for banner drops. From various tales told after the event., I’ve reconstructed compatriots stories of being followed to floor 5 then going to 3 via the elevator and walking back up to 4. I was doing similar diversion between floors. Finally the signal came as I was taking pictures of a shoe action from a fifth floor overview. (I will upload as soon as I get to the house. ) There were at least 100 women throughout the building . Banners were being unfurled from every floor. One would go over the rail and unfurl a message of peace only to be grabbed and eventually taken away by police. Some of the many banner bearers with whom I spoke said they asked for 30 secs for a picture, various first second and third warnings were issued by various uniforms and suits. After Gael had a few problems with a suit who was gruff at first, I and others. ran over to help her & get the banner stretched out. It said Peace on Earth. The big 40 foot pink slip was unfurled but had twisted, So Medea who was on the main floor of the atrium leaped up to straighten it and it was lifted off the floor a bit when police on a higher floor tried to take the banner. Individuals with N, O, W. A, R. letters lined up on five different floors for a multi –floor multi-part banner. Of course songs and chants were being sung and shouted from every floor into the atrium. “Out of Iraq.” “De-fund the war. “ “War is over if you want it.” “No more money for war.” It was so great to see banner after banner unfurl after each confiscation. The banner and floor I was involved with actually had three banners. The first big pink one was confiscated . Then Nell pulled out her rainbow Peace banner. We dropped it. It was confiscated. Gail unfurled her scarf. It was confiscated. Then we began waving our scarves -- PINK of course. We saw one slip across the way …… just a simple unadorned pink slip We later learned it was not confiscated because of one woman ‘s quick thinking. An officer was trying to take it when she said… “I have a pink bra too!” and he said,, “OK, OK.” At about that time we had run out of banners and decided to chant our way all the way from the fifth floor to the first. Then the cops tried to corral us. But they changed their minds. (If I find out more I will let you know.)

The exhilaration wasn’t as strong as the first actions I did, but it still feels good –to speak our minds in the halls of our Senate offiice bldgs. And the joy of the UFPJ lobby folks who stumbled across the pink action was palpable. They thanked us, joined in the chants – as did a few staffers.

Eventually we made our way out after a few chants of , “THIS is what democracy looks like. “

We managed to get most of the banners back.

My only regret is that I didn’t get a clear shot of the big banner that LA Sam and Jodie ( I think) dropped – the big 40 ft. long one that said, No More Money for War.

Then it was off to the Dirkson Bldg. For a late lunch.