Fancy Feast
Greetings and salutations from the sand, sun and surf of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and the always sunny and 72 degree island of Nantucket! Just kidding of course, regarding the weather, as it foggy more often than you might think, bringing with it the romantic feel of years of yore’, where the oil street lamps, still in use today, that give Light to the passers by who are careful, as they walk over the cobblestones and into the many, many, fine world shops, restaurants and boutiques, that offer the finest quality of goods and services that one would find anywhere else in the world today. Yes, I say that because, for me, being on Nantucket affords a certain joy that cannot be reached on either it’s sister island of Martha’s Vineyard or the mainland of the Cape. When one is out on Madekat, or on Surfside Beach, especially in the winter time, one’s mind goes back in times when this was a part of the British Empire, where Whaling was the industry that took Nantucket and put it on the map of the world forever. The Whaling industry, is now long gone, thank God, for killing any living creature is abhorrent, while hurting them with malicious intent is even worse. Today, Nantucket is alive and well, with plenty to see and do, sleep and play. If you have the means, I highly recommend it, for it won’t be long, until this “far away” island is underwater, with “Climate Change”, or more to the point, Global Warming, coming into play as it will eventually melt every form of frozen fresh water on planet earth, spilling billions of gallons from sea to shining sea…and where, my dear friends, do you think it is going to go? I received a letter recently from George McGovern, who you may remember as the runner up in the 1972 Presidental elections, running against our 37th President, Richard Nixon, who wrote for his support in a cause that I believe needs airing on seacapecod.net, for, I, too believe in the cause as well, having suffered cruel and usual punishment at the hands of one “militia like” police officer on Nantucket on August 2, 2003. George of course, lives his life now in the great state of Montana, Missoula to be precise. I believe the letter speaks to all of the vitriolic hate that is spewed out from our “leaders” and must stop, for it is picked up by your constituents who then go out and commit horrible crimes against our citizens…but, make up your own mind and please take into consideration some of these insane gun laws we have in our nation at present–the Glock nine millimeter hand gun with a 31 bullet clip for example, or being able to buy an automatic rifle at a gun show without proof of who you really are, plus not being forced to commit to a background check. Do these laws sound rash to you, the “American People”, as the republicans so often patronize (and/or hypnotize you) into believing they really give a damn? Thousands of innocent children in mostly black and Hispanic neighborhoods are being wiped from the face of the earth because of violent death on their ever growing desperate streets–every street in America…this all stemming DIRECTLY via these “legal” traveling gun (all legalized by the good old boy lobby of the NRA) shows that sell their wares to questionable people, and then, what’s worse, gun runners, who buy up huge quantities and farm them out to the big cities…people who use those guns to kill others, or act as a fence for the militia groups forming in this nation as we speak, arming themselves to the teeth, and listening to the will of the ‘MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN’, who rules the airwaves and thus, stokes racism, misogyny, hate, vitriol and above all paranoia, for, it by doing this, “they” control the masses, their mindsets, as well as their OPTIONS–they tell them where to shop, what to buy and where to vacation, etcetera–should you be so lucky as to have a vacation, or a job for that matter…. So without any further adieu, here is the letter from George McGovern, a great and honorable member of the civilized human race… AND ACTION!
Dear Friend,
I am writing you today, not for some political cause, but to seek you immediate help for a good friend in Alabama in his dangerous and courageous fight to put hate groups out of business.
My Friend, Morris Dees, a young lawyer back in 1971 when I ran for president. He took two years of his life to direct the successful effort that brought more than 600,000 caring Americans into that campaign.
Since then, this highly successful lawsuits against the Ku Klux Klan, the Aryan Nations, and other hate groups has made him their number on enemy. More than a dozen people have been convicted in connections with plots to kill Morris or blow up his building.
Klansman burned his law offices attempting to destroy evidence he had gathered showing Klan violence. The leader got a 15-year prison sentence.
Morris could have played it safe, but he left behind a successful business career and founded the renowned Southern Poverty Law Center to carry on his fight for Justice.
You many have seen the recent Ted Koppel documentary about the $7 million verdict Morris won against the United Klans for lynching a black youth. This was the same hate group whole members bombed the Birmingham church, killing four little girls. Morris’ lawsuit put the group of of business.
Morris and SPLC have crippled or bankrupted a dozen hate groups and also helped law enforcement convict a number of violent domestic terrorists. But, as the shooting at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the arrest of nine members of the Hutaree militia group who plotted to kill hundreds of police officers who, their work is far over. That’s why I urge you to help them now.
The number of hate groups now stands at 932, a more than 50 percent increase since 2000, and the number of antigovernment “patriot” and militia groups has nearly tripled in the last year alone. Anger at the government, resentment of a black president, and bitterness over the dismal economy are likely to continue to fuel their growth and violence.
In November 2008, Morris and his colleagues at the Southern Poverty Law Center won a 2.5 million dollar verdict against the leaders of the Imperial Klans America (IKA) for the savage beating of a Kentucky teenager. Shortly before Morris began this case, an IKA splinter group member was arrested fro a plot to kill President Obama and dozens of African-American students.
In testimony to congress, FBI Director Robert Mueller recently reported that domestic violence “home-grown and lone-wolf extremists” now represent as serious a threat as al-Qaeda and its affiliates.
The Secret Service and all major law enforcement agencies depend on SPLC for timely information about hate groups and for much-needed training. CBS News once reported that Morris’ group has “cracked cases that not even the FBI couldn’t solve.”
SPLC not only sues hate groups but also supplies more than 50,000 schools nationwide with free education materials as part of its Teaching Tolerance project. Morris believes that because young people commit most hate crimes, it’s important to teach them acceptance and tolerance.
Bill Moyer has called Teaching Tolerance “a bold move into America’s classrooms to curb the rising tide of racial hatred.” Many more teachers, faced with steep budget cuts, will look to SPLC for its free, award winning resources.
I assure you that Morris and the Southern Poverty Law Center are doing important work helping those with few champions. As long as hate and extremists groups seek to divide us, SPLC’s unique work will be vital to our nation.
My friend Morris and the SPLC do not charge fees or keep any part of the settlements they win. And, they do not accept government funds. That is why I urge you to send whatever you can today. Just as importantly, I urge you to please promote justice and acceptance in you community. Together we can make a difference in our nation. Sincerely, George McGovern
p.s. Morris has offered to send you a copy of his ahutobiography, “A Lawyer’s Journey”, if you will send a donation of 25. dollars or more. It reads like a fast paced novel. and, print, wrap
Not much more to add to that than, “was that which I just gave ya’ll brought up at the republican “debate” Monday night? Or was that the wrong day and when I began watching, I fell into a deep sleep? Oh well, tomorrow is another day.. Have a good evening folks and be kind to one another, it is far more powerful that hate, intimidation or anger ever was and ever could be… PRESERVE THE WILDERNESS! Peace~M
