Verify the Vote - Stand Up for Accountable Elections!
Democracy is government by the people, and the right to vote is
critical to determining what each of us wants of our government.
Nearly one-quarter of American voters - more than 35 million people
- will exercise that right using electronic voting (e-voting)
terminals in the next presidential election. Unfortunately, some
e-voting equipment has been hastily developed and poorly tested,
putting your right to vote in greater jeopardy than ever before.
There are widespread reports of voting terminal failures, and
growing concern about the (in)security of these machines is
fueling fierce debate over how to ensure the integrity of our
elections.

Two key problems are that many machines cannot be audited to
verify that they are correctly recording each person's intended
vote, and that many do not allow real recounts. And while new
voting technology promises fully accessible, private voting for
Americans with disabilities and non-English speakers, machines
that cannot verifiably record and tally votes break that promise.
This is not an acceptable foundation for our democracy.

EFF, VerifiedVoting.org, Moveon.org, True Majority, CalVoter.org,
and Working Assets/Act For Change have joined forces to let you,
the voters, know what the challenges are for making computerized
voting work, and how you can help.

~ The Challenges

1. Electronic voting machines must provide voter-verifiable paper
audit trails. Future election systems may provide integrity
through other means, but for now, paper trails are necessary.
2. There must be fully accessible, private voting for Americans
with disabilities and non-English speakers.
3. There must be transparency in voting-system development and
testing, and especially in computerized voting. Computer code
used in elections must be open to independent scrutiny.

EFF has made progress on several fronts, including launching a
grassroots activism campaign that helped convince California
Secretary of State Kevin Shelley to mandate voter-verifiable paper
trails for state elections by 2006. This is a great start -
but we need your help to take the fight nationwide.

~ How You Can Help

1.) EFF is launching a 3-month "Verify the Vote" campaign:
<http://www.eff.org/e-vote/> Help us raise $250,000 by
July 1st, and we'll use the funds to keep the fight for
voter-verifiable elections alive through the 2004 election
and beyond. Every dollar counts, so donate today at
<https://secure.eff.org/>
2.) Write your representatives and ask them to support the
Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2003
(S. 1980 and H.R. 2239), which requires openly reviewed
software and voter-verifiable paper audit trails for all
new e-voting machines.
3.) Since decisions to purchase e-voting machines are made at
the county level, let your local elections officials know
that any machines purchased should have voter-verified paper
audit trails.
4.) Contact your Secretary of State to encourage him or her to
pursue policies that establish responsible criteria for the
types of e-voting machines that can be adopted by your
state.

Finally, we encourage you to support the other organizations
joining this campaign. If we work together now, we can help
save the November elections, as well as provide a roadmap for
preserving our democracy in the years to come.

 
Help Save the Children of Northern Uganda
For nearly two decades northern Uganda has been caught in a conflict between the Ugandan Government of President Yoweri Museveni and an armed group called the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) led by Joseph Kony. Over a million people have been displaced, hundreds killed and over 20,000 children have been abducted by the LRA. Experts estimate that there are 10,000
children currently serving as soldiers in the LRA and the Ugandan People Defense Forces. After 18 years of conflict, the Ugandan Government must be persuaded to utilize non-military options to resolve the crisis.

Please contact your Senator and urge them to support the Northern Uganda Crisis Response Act. S.2264. To take action, click on this link or paste it into your Web browser:
http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/ctt.asp?u=635814&l=8652

Children abducted by the LRA are used for forced labor, sexual slavery, and forced armed combat. Children are treated cruelly, live in constant fear for their lives, are drugged, and forced to commit acts of violence in combat and within their ranks such as beating, hacking off limbs, maiming and even killing other children who disobey orders.

Thank you for taking the time to defend children's rights.

Amnesty International USA

 
FCNL: Cut Funding for Missile Shield (4/29/04)
CUT FUNDING FOR MISSILE SHIELD: The House and Senate Armed Services Committees are expected to begin “marking up” their respective versions of the annual defense authorization bill in early May. Among other things, they will be considering whether to support the Bush Administration’s request for another $10.2 billion to continue developing and deploying a
ballistic missile shield. The Administration is determined to begin deploying a limited shield by September 2004, even though the system has yet to be tested or proven effective.

This reckless effort forges ahead despite the negative impact it may have on our strategic relationship with Russia and China, repeated test failures, and the unlikely threat of a long-range missile attack on the U.S. Most importantly, wasting money on a provocative, untested missile shield diverts scarce resources from other, far more urgent budget priorities, which could advance human security for the country and world in the years ahead.

Amendments to cut the missile shield budget will likely be offered in both the House and Senate. While the thrust of the amendments will likely be to shift missile shield funding to other military priorities, we need to send a different message.

ACTION: Please contact your members of Congress. Urge them to support amendments to cut funding for the ballistic missile shield. The missile shield will do nothing to advance national or human security in the years ahead. Rather, it may undermine security by provoking a global nuclear arms race. Urge them to shift funding to support international arms control and disarmament or address real human security concerns such as affordable housing, halting the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and protecting the environment.

CONTACTING YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IS EASY: Start with the sample letter posted in our Legislative Action Center, personalize the language, then email or fax your message directly from our site. You can also print it out and mail it. To view the sample letter click here http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/AKIXDHWLPR/LEMQDHWLTK/
then enter your ZIP code and click Go in the Take Action Now box.

BACKGROUND: Proponents of building a ballistic missile shield have been pressing their cause since the 1950s. In 1972, the U.S. and the Soviet Union signed the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty which forbad testing and deployment of ballistic missile defense systems. The preamble of the treaty rightly argued that effective limits on anti-missile systems would be a “substantial factor in curbing the race in strategic offensive arms.” The U.S. went on to deploy a limited system in North Dakota, as permitted under the treaty in the 1970s, but then dismantled it.

The treaty remained in force for the next two decades. However, research was resumed during the Reagan Administration (“Star Wars”), and Congress spent increasing billions during the Clinton Administration to accelerate research and development (R&D) based on rising fear that North Korea would soon be able to launch a nuclear missile attack against the U.S. In 2002, President Bush withdrew from the ABM Treaty, arguing that the treaty was a Cold War relic, and promised to deploy a limited shield before the end of his first term. For FY2005, the Administration has requested more than $10 billion for missile shield R&D – more than double the cost of the second most expensive weapon system in the President’s budget.

The U.S. has already spent tens of billions of dollars over the past 20 years on ballistic missile defense R&D – with little to show for it. A recent report from the General Accounting Office (GAO) estimated that missile defense programs will cost $53 billion between 2004 and 2009. Others think the price tag could go much higher than that. A January 2003 study estimates the future costs of the Administration’s ballistic missile shield to be $800 billion to $1.2 trillion.

In addition to the enormous costs, a deployed missile shield may lead to a new arms race. Under the Administration’s plan, the U.S. would maintain its current overwhelming superiority in offensive nuclear weapons over all nations and add to it a ballistic missile shield. While the Administration claims that a missile shield is solely defensive, other nations may view this system--coupled with U.S. strategic offensive weapons--as a precursor to a first strike nuclear attack.

In response, Russia could decide to modernize its nuclear forces to maintain its deterrent capability. China may deploy dozens more intercontinental ballistic missiles with more nuclear warheads on each missile to be able to overwhelm the U.S. missile shield and thus maintain its deterrent. India would likely respond to China's build-up, and Pakistan may then follow suit. An accelerated Chinese nuclear weapons program could also move Japan to re-militarize or even go nuclear, pushing South Korea to do the same.

A missile shield plus a huge offensive nuclear arsenal are provocative and dangerous – even if it has not been tested or proven to be effective. It is a colossal waste of taxpayer dollars. International cooperation for arms control and disarmament will do far more than a missile shield to advance lasting peace and security, and at much lower cost.

*****
CONTACTING LEGISLATORS
Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121

Sen. ________
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Rep. ________
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Information on your members is available at http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/AKIXDHWLPR/LEVQDHWLTL/

*****
CONTACTING THE ADMINISTRATION
White House Comment Desk
Phone: 202 456-1111
Fax:202-456-2461
Email:president@whitehouse.gov
Web site: http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/AKIXDHWLPR/ACQLDHWLTM/

President George W. Bush
The White House
Washington, DC 20500


*****

Friends Committee on National Legislation
Mail: 245 Second St. NE, Washington, DC 20002-5795
Email: fcnl@fcnl.org
Phone: (202) 547-6000
Toll Free: (800) 630-1330
Fax: (202) 547-6019
Web: http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/AKIXDHWLPR/JLOODHWLTU/

 
Planned Parenthood Demands Apology
Demand That Karen Hughes Apologize!

On April 25, presidential adviser Karen Hughes invoked the memory of 9/11 to defend President George W. Bush's anti-choice policies. When asked by CNN's Wolf Blitzer about the impact of abortion rights in this year's campaign, Hughes replied, "I think after September 11th the American people are valuing life more...and I think those are the kind of policies the American people can support, particularly at a time when we're facing an enemy, and really the fundamental difference between us and the terror network we fight is that we value every life."

Speak out and sign on to the "Apologize, Karen Hughes!" campaign by signing the petition letter below and demanding that Hughes apologize for equating reproductive rights advocates with terrorists!

http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/hughes

 
Oklahoma Committee for Conscientious Objectors forms
After conversations with lots of folks both online and in person, we now
have time set for an informational meeting for this project.

The meeting will be held on Thursday, May 6th at 7 p.m. at Joy Mennonite
Church (504 NE 16th in Oklahoma City - the church is in a house at the
corner of NE 16th & Lincoln Blvd, just south of the state capitol).

Topics of discussion will include...

I. Military/Draft Counseling
1. Plans for training for military counselors who can assist folks
currently in the service who want to be discharged.
2. Plans for training for Draft counselors to be ready in the event
a draft is called.
3. Discussion on how we can educate the public on what would happen
if the draft is reinstated and how to prepare for it.
4. Logistical details for setting up a local hotline for folks who
need military/draft counseling
5. Discussion on working with the GI Rights Network nationally.

II. Countering Military Recruitment
1. Discussion for this fall on how to counter the lies of military
recruiters on high school & college campuses.
2. Discussion on how to provide another perspective to youth with
regards to JROTC programs.

The meeting is open to all who would like to become involved with either
of these areas of concern, but we particularly want to extend a welcome
to faith communities and other non-profit groups that wish to partner
together in this important work. (If you are unable to attend this
meeting but would like to get involved please email me so I can add you
to our mailing list and keep you updated.)

James Branum

P.S. Please forward this to folks who you think would be interested in
attending this meeting.

PPS. You can subscribe to this new group's discussion list here: http://gypsyresort.com/mailman/listinfo/okco_gypsyresort.com

 
Oklahoma CODEPINK blooms again
__Oklahoma CODEPINK is back!____

I've decided to revive Oklahoma CodePINK. I wasn't part of the previous incarnation, but from what I've
heard of it, there was some good energy and some great actions. I hope to rekindle that. (Those who first
got the group going here no longer live in Oklahoma.) If you were involved before, please get in touch and
work with us again.

Oklahoma CODEPINK is for women (and men) who want to work for peace through joyful direct action, establish
bonds of friendship across differences -- especially with disenfranchised women, women in developing
nations and most especially women in the Middle East, particularly Iraq, where the U.S. government through
its military might is currently doing so much to prevent and discourage true peace.

The 411 for interested but busy people: Subscribe to a low-volume newsletter to keep up with the most
important info. mailto:okcodepink-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/
okcodepink/ and click the "Join This Group!" button. This is NOT an open discussion list. When I have some
news, or a direct action event is scheduled, I'll let you know. Pink, yes. Fluffy, no.

For those with more time/interest: I've also got a CODEPINK blog at http://www.gypsyresort.com/okcodepink
which will have more frequent news, action alerts, rants, strategies, etc., as well as an area for exchange
of ideas. You're welcome to surf into that anytime for more up-to-date goings-on. Pink. Fluffy. Perhaps
even cuddly!

You can contact me about CODEPINK mailto:okcodepink@yahoo.com


____What is CODEPINK?____

For those who aren't familiar with the group, it's an international women-initiated grassroots peace and
social justice movement that seeks positive social change through proactive, creative protest and non-
violent direct action. It started in Nov. 2002 with this call from Starhawk:

“We call on women around the world to rise up and oppose the war in Iraq. We call on mothers, grandmothers,
sisters, and daughters, on workers, students, teachers, healers, artists, writers, singers, poets and every
ordinary outraged woman willing to be outrageous for peace. Women have been the guardians of life — not
because we are better or purer or more innately nurturing than men, but because the men have busied
themselves making war. Because of our responsibility to the next generation, because of our own love for
our families and communities and this country that we are a part of, we understand the love of a mother in
Iraq for her children and the driving desire of that child for life”

The name CODEPINK plays on the Bush Administration’s color-coded homeland security advisory system that
signals terrorist threats. While Bush’s color coded alerts are based on fear, the CODEPINK alert is based
on compassion and is a feisty call for women and men to “wage peace.”

For more background and general resources, go to the main CodePINK Web page at http://
www.codepinkalert.org/.


____What's the plan for Oklahoma CODEPINK?____

My only real plan right now is to try to get other women involved, so we can discuss what we might do as a
group. But I do have several ideas for actions and campaigns that I would like to see Oklahoma CODEPINK
engage in. For instance:

* We could have a presence (a table, or just walk around with flyers and cards) at the Healthy Living Expo
next month, sharing the radical notion that "War is not healthy."

* We could join the Greens in an action for International Conscientious Objection Day (Saturday, May 15).

* We could have a Mother's Day demo, in solidarity with mothers in Iraq and in the US who are losing their
children to war.

* We could have a table at at the Paseo Art show and/or at Juneteenth, both of which the group did last
year before going on hiatus.

If you have ideas to add to these, let me know. Check out the web site above for lots of great reports from
CODEPINK activists from across the country. You'll see that this movement is colorful, humorous, unafraid
and fun. Join me in keeping Oklahoma part of it.

Serena Blaiz