The Furious Spinner

David Duncombe, a local peace and social justice activist and a member of our local peace group, is in D.C. right now on a 40 day fast as part of the Cancel Debt Fast. At the same time, he is lobbying Congress to pass the Jubilee Act which "cancels impoverished country debt; removes economic conditionalities from the cancellation process; mandates transparency and accountability from governments and international financial institutions; and moves forward with more responsible lending practices. If you have not urged your member of Congress to sponsor the Jubilee Act H.R.2634, take two minutes and complete the easy online form to send an e-mail or fax to your representative. Take Action Now!"

David says, "I fast for the millions of people in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Americas who are forced to live without access to clean water, lifesaving medical care and education because their governments are paying on debts from corrupt regimes, civil wars and dishonest lending practices. I fast for the people of Zambia, who just months ago were ordered by a U.K. court to pay $15 million to Donegal International, a 'vulture fund' that bought the country's debt in a predatory deal for $3 million.

"I fast in support of the Jubilee Act (HR 2634), legislation that mandates the cancellation of debt for 67 impoverished countries without harmful conditions and with transparency. Under the new Jubilee Act (HR 2634), 67 countries would receive debt relief and be able to apply their former debt payments to badly needed public services like clean water, education, sanitation and healthcare."

David Duncombe is a lifelong activist. I've admired him for years. I hope to join him in D.C. for part of his fast.

(Patricia Lay-Dorsey self-portrait in front of the American Enterprise Institute.)

Another one of my heras, Patricia Lay-Dorsey, is in D.C. again. She is trying to do something to stop this drumbeat for war with Iran. (Doesn't anyone ever learn? They're believing the same crap they believed about Iraq.) Her vigil is taking place, at least in part, outside the neoconservative think tank the American Enterprise Institute.

She writes, "I'd thought I was going into the 'belly of the beast' because the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) is considered the #1 neoconservative think tank in the U.S.--Dick Cheney's wife is one of its executives--but instead I found individuals who may not have agreed with my message but who, in almost every case, were courteous and sometimes downright kind. Now some of that may have been because I was totally non-confrontational, smiled a lot, and am a 'little old lady in a wheelchair,' but it might also have been the fruit of some inner work I did on my long drive to DC. I'd realized that I still had some hatred of the 'powers that be' and that if I mounted a solitary vigil with that kind of negativity in me, I would be bringing more harm than good. So I released it. And today I saw that I really had, because when Newt Gingrinch walked right in front of my scooter, my immediate response was a smile and a nod. Yes, I've come a long way!"

You can read more of what she says about her visit and view her wonderful photographs here.

I won't be in D.C. in time to see Patricia, but I'm holding you and David in my heart, my dear!

(By the way, if you have trouble reading blogs with black background and white letters like I do—terrible afterimages—just cut and paste Patricia's posts into a word processing document; that's what I do. Works fine.)

Photograph by Patricia Lay-Dorsey, copyright to her 2007.

Labels: democracy watch, sustainability

3 comments

3 Comments:

Thank you for this information. People such as David and Patricia give me hope for this poor, bedraggled planet.

Rev M.

By  Anonymous, at 12:48 PM  

Kim, I am honored to be mentioned in the same breath with such heroes as David. I'm just out here with a sign while he's putting his life on the line. May both of our efforts bear positive fruit for the people of our world. And yes, of course you may use any photo off my blog that you want. Thhank you for wanting to share my story with your readers.

By  Patricia, at 4:51 PM  

I have the greatest respect for their work. They are two of my heroes, and we need a whole lot more Davids and Patricias

By  kerrdeLune (cate), at 1:40 PM  

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All photographs and written material copyright © 2003-2008 by Kim Antieau unless otherwise indicated. May not be used without permission.