State of For more information on Direct Aid Iraq, a non-profi t commited to helping Iraqis medically and building relationships based on peace with Iraqis, visit directaidiraq.org Disunion or to buy David’s book, visit battlefi eldwitho NUMBER OF utborders.org. All proceeds go to Direct Aid JESUS WAS HOMELESS Iraq to provide medical aid to Iraqi families.• DISPOSABLE DIAPERS NUMBER OF TONS used in the of diapers thrown into MAY 2008 VOL. 6 NO. 9 CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE US each year: landfi lls each year in thus an antichristian symbol, and has also 27,400,000,000 the US: 3,400,000 been branded a Communist symbol. It AVERAGE NUMBER LIFE IN GJ GETS HARDER FOR HOMELESS has even been banned, such as at the Iowa OF DOLLARS NUMBER OF high school that suspended students and the US defi cit gains DOLLARS n the past couple of weeks Vietnam War opponents John and Mary daily: District 51 spent per Beth Tinker in 1967 for wearing armbands 1,700,000,000 dozens of homeless pupil in 2007: I people were evicted with the peace symbol on them. 6,275 Despite this, the peace symbol NUMBER OF by the Grand Junction Police remains an icon to this day. Its simplicity DOLLARS AVERAGE NUMBER Department from squatter for Bush’s proposed OF DOLLARS camps along the Colorado makes it easy to remember, draw and use. budget for the next fi scal Having stood the test of time and been used spent per pupil in River. P.J Rix, the Community year: Colorado in 2003: Liaison Offi cer, of the GJPD worldwide by so many different causes, it has 3,100,000,000,000 7,412 a uniting and encouraging power matched said that the eviction are a part of the cities annual spring by few non-religious symbols in the world, NUMBER OF RED AVERAGE NUMBER if any. It is sure that the peace symbol will PILL WRITERS OF DOLLARS clean up. “We’re targeting retain its signifi cance for as long as people who went to school with spent per pupil nation camps in areas owned or love and struggle for peace and justice.• Congressman Renzi: wide in 2003: controlled by the City, and we 1 8,287 are alleviating areas of brush where they hide.” Rix said. NUMBER OF NUMBER OF According to Rix, these annual COPIERS TRP AMERICANS needs to stay in print: raids of homeless camps along in prisons or jails per the Colorado River have been 1 capita: 1 in 100 carried out since around 1999. When asked were all the evicted homeless people were supposed * Sources for the State of Disunion can be found at www.gjredpill.org to go, Rix replied lamely that “it is against city ordinance to camp on city property.” CALL TO ACTION There is an anti- The Red Pill is looking for volunteers: graphic designers, panhandling campaign going writers, poets, cartoonists, artists, and photographers are on in Grand Junction, maybe needed. Get your work published now. Help distribute you’ve seen the signs “Giving Change Won’t Make a Change.” The Red Pill in your community, church, and school: But now both homeless be the media! contact us at [email protected]. You can also do shelters in town charge their your part to keep us in print by donating time, paper, guests $3 a night. For years fi lm, copies, and of course money (it doesn’t print itself). that had been the policy of the Rescue Mission downtown, but just this summer the Community Homeless Shelter on North Avenue decided The Red Pill is collectively produced by Grand Junction to start charging as well. As long as shelters charge Alternative Media, with the aim of publishing stories and guests to stay the night, the ideas that the mainstream media won’t cover. It is distributed homeless need to be able to free, collects no advertising, and is completely staffed by ‘fl y a sign’ and we should give volunteers. All materials are copyleft, no rights are reserved. accordingly, because giving PHOTOCOPY AND DISTRIBUTE AT WILL! change does make a change.•

www.gjredpill.org www.gjredpill.org DAVID SMITH-FERRI: AN ACTIVIST-POET FRUITA LIFE avid Smith-Ferri is an activist-poet died, and they kept bringing bomb parts to BY DAVEY who works closely with Direct Aid show David and his group, and the pile kept D Iraq , a grassroots organization growing. A spokesperson from the group aimedaimed atat providingproviding urgenturgent medicalmedical carecare forfor of men and boys came forward and asked Iraqis. David was in Grand Junction last why David’s government was bombing month, at the UU Church for an opportunity his village and said that this is a coward’s to share his poetry with the community. war. The Iraqis ask the question, “Why is David has spent time in Iraq pre- your government bombing us?” genuinely occupation, and Jordan during the looking for an un-understandable answer. occupation. He was focused on learning David loves opportunities to share the conditions in Iraq as related to foreign his poetry with others or give it as gifts. policy on his fi rst trip. David shared his The words reveal Iraqi peoples’ courage, experience with TRP about the day he resilliance, and struggles . He defi nes Iraqis landed in 1999: The US bombed a small on their own terms, on a case by case basis. village called Najaf the day before they David’s trip to Jordan revealed that landed, where 14 civilians were killed and the American vision of an Iraqi is indeed 18 were hospitalized. He said it was a twisted. Currently, one in seven people in remote place, and you could see the crater Jordan is a displaced Iraqi (where one in four from the US bomb. There were about 150 Iraqis are displaced). The Iraqis in Jordan Iraqi men and boys who immediately tried do not have the status of “refugee.” Most to talk to the approaching Americans. The posses a temporary visa, which provides tried to tell him what happened, show them a shadowy existence; the holder is denied where family members and friends had “DAVID” FROM PAGE ONE COLORADO WANT TO LIMIT YOUR SPEECH: SEE YOU IN THE COURTS

he State of Colorado is at it again, this incredibly unconstitutional bill. this time to limit free speech. The bill was orignially aimed at T Senate Bill 192 would limit pro-life activist who often protest at ‘targetet picketing’ in residential areas and the homes of abortion doctors. And limits signage to no more than one sign since most pro-lifers are conservitives, per person no larger than 2feet x 3feet The the Dems were fine with taking away bill defines a home as a compelling state more of our right to free speech. As interest, and claims tageted picketing is not soon as the government starts limiting sending a message to the general public, some speech, all speech is threatened. but instead aims to harrass and intrude If signed into law the bill would comes on privacy. Making both “Targeting into effect on August 6th, just in time for Picketing” and hold more than one sign the Demacrats use it to suppress protests or having a sign greater than 6sq feet in at the DNC in Denver later that month. a “residential area” a misderminer with This bill has now passed both the fines of upto $5000 and/or a year in jail. Colorado House of Representitives and the Also, this bill ‘permits’ (encourages Senate, and is sitting on Governor Ritter’s more so) for local government to make desk right now, waiting to be signed into law. Davey is a 22-year-old artist, based out of Fruita, Colorado. His artistic infl uences more restrictive measures on targeted Call the Ritter and tell him to ‘veto’ include Jhonen Vasquez, H.R.Giger,Sheperd Fairy, and john john jesse, just to name a few. picketing and signage in residential areas. this anti-democratic bill at (303) 866-2471 When Davey is not working on his art he can be found skateboarding around town or reading Targeted picketing can and does And if that fails we’ll see a book in his favorite book store. Long ago Davey chose a life free of drugs and alcohol so he send a message to the general public, you in the streets, on August 7th, could focus on his two passions art and skateboarding. Davey can be reached at gaz@gvii. limiting signage is a rediculous in front of some war-profiteer’s net, more of his art can be found at deviantart.com under the username jhonentat. We can attempt at limiting free speech, and the home, to break this unconstitutional all look forward to seeing more of Davey’s art in the pages of The Red Pill in the months to Colorado General Assembly, currently law, and let the courts sort it out.• come. dominated by the Democrats, passed

EVERY MONDAY• 5:30PM Saturday, March 15th • 5:30PM RED PILL LOCATIONS A Voice of Reason, the local peace group meets to The Longest March 2 hits GJ, there will be a potluck and You can pick up your copy of The Red Pill at the following locations: Planet 9, Heart of the Dragon, Third World Imports, organize local actions to end the war in Iraq. speaking event featuring numerous speakers from various Planet Earth, Moe Ping’s Kool Things, The Hot Tomato, Kleen Sting, Colorado Java, Himalayan Feeling, Contemporary Native American nations. Glass Works, Change Skateboards, Coffee Muggers, Triple Play Records, Pretty Things, Dream Child Entertainment. For more info call 245-3720 Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Grand Valley Download the Red Pill at: http://www.gjredpill.org 1022 Grand Ave. Become our friend on myspace.com @ http://www.myspace.com/gjamtheredpill For more info call 245-3720 BOB SCHAFFER: David and his poetry are able to WAR PROFITEER FOR SENATE open our minds to the Iraqi people like never before. His poetry is written in ith so much of the nationals Surprise, Surprise less then a year later such a way that one can feel the pain political focus taken up by Obama Aspect Energy in November of 2007 announced of the people. It’s truly the vision we W v. Clinton, no one has really on their website that they had been awarded a should have of Iraqis, not the distorted had time to take notice of Bob Schaffer. license for 269 square kilometers of northern vision we get from the mainstream media. Who’s Bob Schaffer? You Say. Iraq’s oil fi elds and cut the deals directly with the David wrote the following Well, like all politicians he’s Kurdistan Regional Government. poem on his fi rst day in Amman: rich. Like most politicians he’s white [www.aspectenergy.com]. and male. And like many politicians Schaffer had to make First Day in Amman he’s making money off of the War in Personal Financial Disclosures Amman Iraq, (it should be noted that Iraqis while he was in offi ce in 2003 and December, 2006 call the war the American War). when he declared his candidacy for Ahmed Speaks During his three terms in the Senate. According to Schaffer’s house of representatives Schaffer full Personal Financial Disclosures he I want to show you something. heartedly voted for the war in Iraq pocketed $209,853 for working My left ear does not work thanks to a car and voted for subsequent funding for Aspect Energy in 2003 and bomb, bills. He even went so far as to tell made $246,666 in 2006. Schaffer and my right eye The Denver Post, “A lack of support as a private citizen did not thanks to a metal fragment lodged in its from U.N. won’t be an obstacle’ to have to fi le Personal Financial cornea. U.S. Military Action.” [DP, Oct. 13, 2002]. Disclosures during the interceding years. Day and night, an echo of that explosion Then in December of 2003 Schaffer left But we can safely assume that he made “DAVID” ON LAST PAGE rings in my ear-- congress to work for Aspect Energy where he roughly the same as he did in 2003 or 2006. the right to work, making exploitation in not an ocean crashing or a river was able to fl ex his political connections as the What it really comes down to is that the underground economy the norm. Iraqis carrying its musical load of rock and stone, Vice-President in harge of International Oil Schaffer while in Congress voted for the in Jordon are subject to police round- not two-year-old Abdullah calling from Development. In November of 2006, Schaffer War in Iraq, voted to fund the war. Then out ups, and because so many people have infested Baghdad, led an Aspect Energy delegation to Iraq. of offi ce he makes $1,000,000 or so working come to Jordan, resources are dwindling. but the voice of a bomb in my ear, The Rocky Mountain News confi rmed this for a Big Oil Corporation that is profi ting Baghdad has been a rich cultural center and in my eye, one of its ten thousand teeth. when they called Schaffer about his possible from Iraqi oil, from contracts Schaffer helped for centuries. The US invasion of Iraq in candidacy for senate. “Shcaffer was contacted secure. Schaffer is a war profi teer and a player 2003 changed Iraqi lives forever. The city But that is not what I want to show you. via e-mail during a business trip to Iraq.” within ‘Big Oil,’ and as such should be run That is only the surface, moving downriver, .• is now overrun by armed groups of all sorts, [Rocky Mountain News, November 27, 2006]. out of the state rather then elected to senate not simply Sunni and Shi’ite, the factions only a refl ection of Baghdad today. go deeper than that. Armed factions can I want to show unchanging depths, RED PILL DOCUMENTARY EXPOSES SLAVERY even be divided down to the neighborhood past, present, future bundled in the level, and for their own political advantage. immutable IN THE SHEEP COUNTRY OF NORTHERN The Sunni and the Shi’ite people don’t body of the river. COLORADO AND SOUTHERN WYOMING necessarily hate eachother, it’s the factions and the extremist groups that believe in such For that, you must look at my hand and take it his winter a Red Pill reporter/ hatred. The Iraqi people don’t want the violence, they feel like ‘this is Iraqi, and we and come with us to dinner videographer went to Wyoming and eat shawarma. T and found legal immigrant H2A all live together.’ David shared that one man in Jordan said, “How can this be Baghdad?” Laugh with us. Talk with us. Visa workers being taken advantage Think with us, habibi, of and severely underpaid (TRP Vol. When David was asked about US troop withdraw, he replied “There about how to extract the worm 6 No. 3). This video shows Colorado eating the heart of my country. sheep-ranchers exploiting their South will be bloodshed even if we leave.” American and Nepali ‘employees,’ including interviews with sheepherders past and present. Check out the video and keep an eye on our website for future updates: http://www.gjredpill.org.•

http://www.gjredpill.org/gjredpill/movies/ movies.html.

April 21-27, 2008 Aug. 25-28th and Sep. 1-4th, 2008 Friday, March 21st, 2008 Sunday, March 30th, 2008 • 2PM National TV Turn-off week. Turn off the tube and tune Protests at DNC in Denver and RNC in Minneapolis- Sign Making Potluck to prepare for the March 30th Peace Rally and March in to the world around you. St. Paul. Check out www.recreate68.org and www. Peace Rally and March Music, Speakers, Food, Literature, and Fun! rncwelcomingcommittee.org for info. www.tvturnoff.org For more info call 245-3720 Lincoln Park, Grand Junction A SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY POLICE ACQUITTED IN SEAN BELL CASE; NEW YORK PROTESTS IN STREETS he internationally-known peace symbol, uniquely inspired, and included the semaphore that powerful and beautiful sign of love, code symbols for the letters “N” and “D,” for T brotherhood and protest, turned 50 this “Nuclear Disarmament.” Semaphore is a system April. That’s right, the peace symbol has a of distance communication in which a person distinguishable origin and an anniversary, and holding a fl ag in each hand moves their arms this is its 50th. You may not know the story of to different positions to represent each letter. how the peace symbol came to be, so here it is. Holtom also made sketches of himself in The peace symbol was originally used the pose of the peasant in the Goya painting by members of the “Campaign for Nuclear The Third of May 1808, who has arms Disarmament (CND),” a British anti-nuclear outstretched while facing a fi ring squad. The weapons group. Members of CND were simple design he ultimately came up with the fi rst people to use the peace symbol in a was circumscribed with a circle to represent the earth, and the peace symbol was born. demonstration, as they staged a 50-mile march he three police second degree manslaughter, two counts of thousands of people to a weapons There are different accounts of how the peace symbol came offi cers being charged with the of fi rst degree assault on Guzman and factory in Aldermaston, T wrongful shooting of Sean Bell and Benefi eld, and two counts of reckless to America, but however England, in April 1958. two of his friends in November 2006 have endangerment, one for fi ring a bullet that SomeSome ofof thethe signssigns theythey thatthat happened,happened, onceonce itit ggotot herehere itit spreadspread been acquitted on all counts. This has led passed through an occupied residence. usedused displayeddisplayed thethe to widespread public outcry, particularly in Detective Gescard Isnora faced fi rst curious symbol rapidly. During the 1960s, the NYC where the shooting occurred. Protests and second degree manslaughter charges, whose meaning in the city this week shut down traffi c access fi rst and second degree assault, and two was not symbol was everywhere, at four important bridges and two tunnels, but counts of reckless endangerment. Detective immediately the sentiment of the protesters was echoed in Marc Cooper faced only two counts of apparent for becoming one with the the voices of the delayed drivers: there was reckless endangerment. Judge Arthur some. One no reason for Sean Bell to die that night. Cooperman heard the case when the defense man at spirit of the times. It On the night in question, the waived its right to a trial by jury. All the event plainclothes offi cers were investigating offi cers were found not guilty on all counts. expressed was used at home prostitution at the club where Sean, a young The protests around and to the black father of two, was having his bachelor were led by Rev. and the symbol’s by the anti- Vietnam party the night before his wedding. The family and friends of Sean Bell and the other creator, offi cers overheard a drunken confrontation victims. It has been described as “controlled Gerald War movement, and claim they heard someone say “get my fury” and the largest gathering was outside Holtom, his gun.” (A gun was never found at the scene.) NYPD headquarters in Manhattan. 216 doubt that and overseas by American Sean and his friends got in their car as the people were arrested for disorderly conduct, such a symbol cops ran up with pistols drawn, never clearly including Sharpton, Bell’s fi ancee Nicole could possibly soldiers who carried it painted identifying themselves as police. Sean and Poultre Bell, Guzman, and Benefi eld. They catch on. his friends didn’t know who these armed are calling for a reexamination of racial To say the on their helmets andand onon m medallionsedallions men were, so they tried to drive away. This profi ling in law enforcement, and for more least,least, thethe peacepeace was suspicious enough for the police to open stringent regulations to prevent murder by symbolsymbol c certainlyertainly whilewhile theythey werewere deployed in Vietnam. fi re, pumping 50 rounds into the car before the police from going unpunished. There is a has caught on. Though fi nally letting up. Sean was hit four times in House Judiciary Committee Forum Monday, originally it was focused Besides having been used widely in America, the peace symbol the neck and torso, his friend Trent Benefi eld May 12th to discuss police accountability and as a symbol representing the was hit three times, and Joseph Guzman the public’s confi dence in the justice system anti-nuclear weapon movement, it has has been a truly international phenomenon. It has been used by resisters to Communist rule was hit 19 times. Fortunately Benefi eld when it comes to cases like this. And although come to be a truly universal symbol of and Guzman survived. The offi cers’ the criminal trial is over, the legal battles the broader concept of peace, and has in Eastern Europe during the Soviet era, in Greece by people opposing tyranny there, and gunfi re was so errant that they almost hit have just begun. Up next, a civil lawsuit been carried by people speaking out for a Port Authority policeman and a civilian is being fi led by the family and Sharpton, tolerance, love, and resistance to oppression. in South Africa by the opponents of apartheid. The peace symbol has of course had through the AirTrain station window nearby. and Judge Arthur Cooperman has now The symbol’s creator, Gerald Holtom, The three offi cers faced serious ordered the evidence handed over to federal was an artist and textile designer driven to its detractors over the years. It has been interpreted as an upside-down cross and charges. Detective Michael Oliver fi red investigators in preparation for possible civil create a symbol for the nuclear disarmament 31 rounds from his handgun, pausing to rights violations charges to be fi led. For all movement that would express his own despair reload at least once despite the lack of the latest news, visit justiceforsean.net.• about the issue. The elements of his design were CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE return fi re. He faced charges of fi rst and

Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008 • 5PM Deadlines for Upcoming Special Issues RED PILL NEEDS YOUR HELP! Drinking Liberally Get together Iraq War Issue #3: March 17, Drug War Issue: April 11, We need volunteers. We need your events. We need writers. And most importantly we need Wealth and Poverty Issue: May 4 cash for a new copy machine. You can get a hold of us at [email protected], or donate Kannah Creek Brewing through Pay-Pal at our website www.gjredpill.org. We couldn’t do all this without you. 12th and Walnut, Grand Junction, CO Submissions Welcomed! Thanks.