ProgressOhio

...until you consider the origins of Mother's Day.

Julia Ward Howe, who penned The Battle Hymn of the Republic, also authored a mothers' Declaration calling on women to oppose war, and worked to get recognition of a Mother’s Day for Peace. Says Code Pink: "Were she alive today, Julia probably would have told her kids to dispense with the roses and chocolates, and instead join her in an anti-war rally. Yes, Julia Ward Howe was a peacenik."

[Howe] saw some of the worst effects of the [civil] war -- not only the death and disease which killed and maimed the soldiers. She worked with the widows and orphans of soldiers on both sides of the war, and realized that the effects of the war go beyond the killing of soldiers in battle. She also saw the economic devastation of the Civil War, the economic crises that followed the war, the restructuring of the economies of both North and South.

In 1870, Julia Ward Howe took on a new issue and a new cause….She called in 1870 for women to rise up and oppose war in all its forms. She wanted women to come together across national lines, to recognize what we hold in common above what divides us, and commit to finding peaceful resolutions to conflicts. She issued a Declaration, hoping to gather together women in a congress of action.

Howe failed in her attempt to get formal recognition of a Mother's Day for Peace, but her effort was carried on by Anna Jarvis, who had organized women during the Civil War to work for better sanitary conditions for both sides, and then toward reconciliation of Union and Confederate neighbors.

Jarvis’ daughter, of the same name, then took up the campaign for Mother’s Day. After the custom spread to 45 states, President Woodrow Wilson declared the first national Mother’s Day in 1914.

Julia Ward Howe's Mothers' Declaration:

Arise then...women of this day!
Arise, all women who have hearts!
Whether your baptism be of water or of tears!
Say firmly:
"We will not have questions answered by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage,
For caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.
We, the women of one country,
Will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."

From the voice of a devastated Earth a voice goes up with
Our own. It says: "Disarm! Disarm!
The sword of murder is not the balance of justice."
Blood does not wipe our dishonor,
Nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil
At the summons of war,
Let women now leave all that may be left of home
For a great and earnest day of counsel.
Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.
Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means
Whereby the great human family can live in peace...
Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,
But of God -
In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask
That a general congress of women without limit of nationality,
May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient
And the earliest period consistent with its objects,
To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,
The amicable settlement of international questions,
The great and general interests of peace.

Maybe Pryce, Schmidt, Tiberi, Chabot, Boehner, Regula, LaTourette, Hobson, and Turner have a thing against moms. But YOU can make this Mother's Day a Mother's Day For Peace.

Help CodePink help Iraqi refugee moms here.

Send a MomsRising Mother's Day card and tell the presidential candidates to fight for family-friendly policies. here.

Oh and don't forget to call the Congressional Switchboard at 1-800-839-5276 to give the above members of Congress a piece of your mind about H.R. 1113.

Do you have another suggestion for honoring Julia Ward Howe's Mothers' Declaration? Are you a mom working for peace? Leave a comment below.

The Orchestra, the Arts, Our Community -Submitted to The Other Paper by David Robinson on 5/5/08

The well-publicized and documented troubles facing the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (CSO) are part of an even bigger picture that I find troubling. The CSO is a key contributor to our quality of life in Columbus, well beyond the seasonal performance schedule. The education programs and outreach, and our accomplished Youth Orchestra, bring music and more to our children.

In terms of the business case for our Orchestra, many writers and economists emphasize the importance of the creative class as a central driver of the new economy. The CSO employs significant numbers of artists who live here, raise their families here, and spend their money here. Perhaps most importantly, for businesses small and large trying to attract and retain talent, the CSO represents an important part of our cultural fabric and our image as a great American city. Simply stated, no symphony, no great city.

The root of the symphony’s problems is our ailing economy. Working families in Central Ohio are being pinched at every turn for time and money. When one is forced to choose between food, fuel, and the finer arts, it is the latter which will suffer first. And without an audience, our performing arts organizations will need additional support from the same sources everyone else is tapping: individual donors and the business community.

So where are we investing in the creation of tomorrow’s jobs? Where is the support for innovation? Our region needs leadership and a long-term development strategy to help us take action and improve the things that matter.  Yes, I need food to live, and fuel to travel, but I need the arts to make the journey worth taking.

_____________________________________________________ 

Robinson is the Democratic candidate for Ohio's 12th U.S. Congressional District running against incumbent Pat Tiberi this fall. For more information on David Robinson and his policies, go to www.robinson2008.com.

David Robinson, 12th Congressional District Candidate, will be attending a Dublin house party at the home of Lucy and Al Gabel, located at 7190 Coffman Road on April 29, 2008 and beginning at 7:00 PM.

This event is open to all that wish to attend.

Suggested Donations: Sponsors-$200, Guests-$50

Please RSVP, by e-mail to agabel7190@aol.com or call 614-889-8282. Please include your name and telephone number with your RSVP.

Directions: Exit at 17A from 270, Rt. 33, 161. Go East to the first light. Turn left onto Post Rd. You will go going West over 270. At the first light, turn right onto Coffman Rd. Proceed North to 7190 Coffman Rd.

For more information about David Robinson and his campaign platform, please visit http://www,robinson2008.com

Join the Robinson for Congress Grassroots Team

With less than 200 days to go until Election Day, now is the time to start telling voters about David Robinson and why he is the best choice to represent the 12th District in the U.S. Congress.

Over the next several weeks, the Robinson Campaign will be pulling together a Grassroots Team – a group of committed and energetic Robinson supporters who are willing to spend a few hours on the weekend, or a few hours during the week, reaching out to voters at the door or on the phone.

No Experience Required! "If you can walk, you can canvass. If you can talk, you can phone bank." Training will be provided.

We are going to win in November with good, old-fashioned hard work; and the Grassroots Team will be a critical part of our success.

If you would like to be part of the Team, RSVP to Jed Thorp, Grassroots Coordinator at jedthorp@hotmail.com or 617-553-0541.

For more information on David Robinson and his campaign platform, please visit www.robinson2008.com

The Licking County Pro-Active Citizens (LICOPAC) will be hosting a breakfast for David Robinson this Saturday March 29th, 9:30 a.m. at the Bake-n-Brew restaurant, 1821 W. Main St. in Newark. http://bake-n-brew.com

For more information about David Robinson or to volunteer for his campaign, please visit www.robinson2008.com .

David Robinson accepted an invitation to speak at the Central Ohio Peace Network's (COPN) commemoration of the 5th Anniversary of the Iraq war. This event was held the evening of Wednesday, March 19  at the Ohio Statehouse Atrium.  The following is a transcript of Robinson's speech.  

Blessed are the Peacemakers, David Robinson, 3/19/08

Thank You. It is good and it is right that today, here in our state's capital, on the fifth anniversary of our nation's launching of the Iraq War, we are giving voice and visible testimony to both our grief about the war and our hope about the prospects for peace. By giving voice and witness to our beliefs we are declaring our determined opposition to the endless stay-the-course-and-we-can-win policies of the current administration.

As you know, silence and invisibility are enemies of truthfulness, justice, human rights, and yes, peace. In the case of the Iraq war, those that precipitated it, those that would perpetuate it, seek to hide it from the public—no taxes are paid to fund it—, and to sanitize it—no caskets are seen to show the cost of it. They seek to hide the realities of the war in order to continue a policy that the clear majority of Americans, after sober reflection, now reject. And so it is good that we break this official silence, giving witness here and now to the will of the people.

The reasons for protesting the continuation of this war are many: foremost of all is the direct loss of human life, both American and Iraqi—lives lost and lives shattered through wounds of both body and mind;

and beyond this immeasurable human toll, there are the unknown consequential costs of this war, future tragedies that well may spring, in part, from hatreds born of this war, for violence begets violence, and cruelty is contagious;

further, there is the financial cost to us, now estimated to be hundreds of billions or even trillions of dollars—these costs may be measured in terms of "what could have been" had we spent the billions elsewhere on schools, health care, energy research, or even, with enlightened leadership, peace initiatives in the Middle East; or these financial costs may be understood in terms of the staggering addition to our crushing national debt, further constraining the opportunities of our young;

and, finally, even in terms of enhancing our nation's security, the war has cost us much and may be judged an unprecedented American strategic failure as it has dissipated our military, enhanced Iran's influence, and diverted our attention from what I, and perhaps some of you, believe was a legitimate use of arms in Afghanistan.

In my judgment, these costs—human, consequential, financial, and strategic—are each reason enough to demand an end to this war-torn occupation. And so I believe it is time to issue a clear and definitive statement that we will not construct or sustain permanent bases, and that we will soon commence a definitive yet responsible withdrawal of all combat troops from Iraq, in accord with our own assessment of the security needs of our remaining troops and the Iraqi people, and not according to a timeline held hostage to the Iraqi politicians' own interests in a continued American presence.

While effecting a responsible withdrawal, it is incumbent upon us to safeguard—through immigration here or elsewhere if necessary—those Iraqis who have helped us and would face violent retribution once we leave. Further, it is imperative that we embrace returning veterans—through full funding of VA benefits, explicit and robust public acknowledgment of their service, and educational and jobs-related programs designed to reintegrate them productively back in to civilian life.

And yet a critique of the specifics of the current war is not enough, for if we left matters there I believe we would be overlooking the central fact as to why this war, and any future war of choice, is a profound mistake. It is my conviction that the wars of the 20th century, and the advent of the nuclear age, held lessons for humanity that indeed war is not the answer, and that we must—if we are all to survive—we must develop institutions, traditions, and mechanisms for restraining our warring impulses and for employing peaceable means for solving our inevitable conflicts.

The Geneva and Hague Conventions, the League of Nations, and the United Nations, were all born out of the human desire to outgrow our ancient cruelties to one another. In scripture we read that "there is a season and a time for every matter under the sun," including "a time for war and a time for peace." But it is precisely this sense of fatalistic inevitability that humanity has struggled to overcome, guided, for some, by a different biblical imperative, "blessed are the peacemakers." It is the latter devotion to which I adhere.

And so this war of choice is not only an act of aggression, but is an act of regression on a national scale, conceivable only to those who have failed to understand the primary lesson of our parents' and grandparents' generations: that war itself is the common enemy of man, that our shared fate rests on our ability to abolish it from Earth, and, until that day, war is justifiable only as a last-resort and in self-defense. These lessons of our forebears must now be reaffirmed by our nation as we move forward to end this war and forestall any that would follow.

To do so, we must recognize the fragility, and defend accordingly, our democratic form of government of the people, by the people, and for the people; this means a reassertion of constitutional checks and balances, the protection of civil liberties, and the regulatory support of a diverse media and net neutrality. These are our safeguards against the demagogue's rush to war.

I am hopeful that the United States will remember lessons once learned, and now learned again, that war is not the answer. By giving voice to this truth tonight, we advance the cause of peace.  And that is good, for blessed are the peacemakers.
 

___________________________________
For more information about David Robinson and his campaign platform, please visit www.robinson2008.com

Robinson for Congress - Campaign Kick-Off Organizational Meeting

If you are interested in getting involved in David Robinson's campaign, please join us for this initial, general election organizational meeting.

Date:      Sunday, March 30

Time:      2:00 p.m.

Location: Real Living Training Center 773 Brooksedge Plaza Drive Westerville, Ohio

Directions: The facility is just off of I-270 & Westerville Road/Rt.#3 exit and to the north - turn at first left onto Heatherdown Drive and go to dead end-turn left. You can follow our signs from there. 

Purpose: First meeting to organize the general election Campaign Corps of the Robinson For Congress Campaign. Meet David Robinson/Hear him speak./Hear about the Primary/Plan the General.

Agenda: Welcome, District/Primary Campaign Briefing, David Robinson-Lessons Learned comments, General Election Overview/Discussion/Planning.

Groups of volunteers are being formed in the following areas: 1. Finance-Fundraising/Accounting 2. Grassroots-Literature Distribution/Door-to-Door/Yard Signs/Targeted Phone Calling 3. Media-Press Relations/Letters-to-the-Editor 4. Website-All things Website & Internet related/Database Management/Interface with Media Team 5. Special Events-House Parties/Parades/Festivals  6. Administration-Communication/Clerical & Administrative Work/Reception Duties/Scheduling 7. Advance-Candidate Aids/Facility Research & Event Preparation 8. Policy-Issue Development/Opponent Research/News Tracking  9. Special Projects- Debates Campus Coordination, Endorsements, Design/Artwork/Photography, Voter Research & Targeting

For more information on David Robinson and his campaign platform, please visit  www.robinson2008.com

DAVID ROBINSON REACTS TO CONGRESSIONAL NOMINATION WIN

Central Ohioans living in the 12th Congressional District now know the choice they will have two hundred forty-five days from now in the general election. David Robinson has been chosen as the Democratic candidate who will run against incumbent Republican Pat Tiberi this coming fall.

"Our campaign is grateful to the voters for responding to our message about positive change and what we can do when focused on common goals," Robinson said upon learning of his victory. "My two democratic colleagues, Aaron Dagres and Russ Goodwin, waged honorable and hard-fought campaigns and I have nothing but admiration for both of them," he continued. "It is my full intention to remain focused on positive plans and programs that actually address the major concerns of the people of the 12th District."

During the last two months, Robinson's campaign saw significant momentum after a well-planned and assertive grassroots effort. Voters responded to key messages including his February 22nd announcement of his "Apollo II Program," countless discussions with voters and a strong effort to spread the message of his thoughtful leadership skills.

Robinson's campaign now turns its attention to developing more detailed position statements on central issues, such as education, health care, veterans' affairs, and of course national security. Further, the campaign is busy preparing a statement of values about how the campaign itself will be conducted. "The way a campaign is run tells you a lot about the person in charge of it. I intend to keep focused on policy and plans that will make a real difference. There's no time for negativity when you're focused on helping the public."

"We intend to maintain our momentum by staying in touch with the voters—in their churches, at their homes, at their festivals and fairs—from now until election day."

"I have fully enjoyed meeting some of the voters of the district during the last few months, from north to south to east, and many places in between. People have been real honest with me about what they expect from their Congressman. Whether we talked about schools, jobs, or the war, they are ready for change in a new direction."

"This is the beginning of a campaign in which the voters of central Ohio will be given a clear choice about two different visions for our future," Robinson said. "We can either pursue the policies of the past, or choose a new way of doing things." More on Robinson and his policies may be found at http://www.robinson2008.com.

The following Letter to the Editor appeared in today's Columbus Dispatch under the title "Partisanship is our biggest obstacle." This letter, written by David Robinson, is in response to a previous letter to the editor that stated inaccuracies about David Robinson's voting record and his political intentions.

Robinson Sets the Record Straight (2/28/08)

A recent letter to the editor ("Democrat Robinson is New to the Party," 2/27/08) expressed distrust about my political motives because my politically-conservative sister hosted a campaign party for me, her Democratic brother. I find this attitude regrettable and a symptom of how we need to heal destructive partisan divisions in our nation.

For the last ten years my sister and I have not been able to have civil political discussions because of the intense partisan atmosphere plaguing our country. Yet in recent months she has told me that she is excited about the message of Barack Obama and is once again looking at the quality of the candidate, not just party label. To me, this new attitude is a good thing and just what our country needs now.

Further, my voting record is not "heavily Republican" as the letter writer indicated. The last time I voted for a Republican presidential candidate was in 1984, when I was 22 years old (the first vote I ever cast was for Carter in 1980). At that time I considered myself an Independent, feeling that as an American I wanted to be able to vote my conscience in any given race and for any given candidate. I still place country above party, and find it contrary to American values to do otherwise. Yet since the early 1990's I have voted overwhelmingly Democratic as the Republican party has become dominated by the religious right and neo-conservatives. My policy positions and agenda are clearly at home with the progressive values that the Democratic Party embodies and promotes.  In sum, I am not a Republican-elephant in Democratic-donkey clothing.

Finally, contrary to the letter writer's suggestion, I did not enter this race out of raw political ambition. Rather, I seek public office because I care deeply about our country and world, and our current representative supports policies that do not address our urgent problems. It is therefore my duty to try to serve, through public office, the community that has given me so much in life.

If chosen by the voters to represent the Democratic party in the general election, I will wage a positive campaign based on progressive policies and ideas, not bitter partisan attacks. That's the kind of person I am and the kind of politician I plan to be. I believe it's time to find common cause and get to work solving the many problems facing us.

Sincerely,

David Robinson Democratic Candidate, Ohio's 12th U.S. Congressional District Paid for by Robinson for Congress

"If not us, who? If not now, when?"

David W. Robinson

Candidate, Ohio's 12th Congressional District

drobinson@robinson2008.com

http://robinson2008.com

David Robinson, Ohio 12th U.S. Congressional District Candidate, will be attending a "Robinson for Congress" house party on Friday, February 29 at 7:30 p.m.  The location of this house party is 8864 Nairn Court, Dublin (Muirfield Village area). 

If you are interested in attending this event and meeting David, please RSVP to mail@robinson2008.com

For more information about David Robinson and his campaign platform, please visit www.robinson2008.com

If not us, who?  If not now, when?

David Robinson, Ohio 12th U.S. Congressional District Candidate, will be attending a "Robinson for Congress" house party on Thursday, February 28 at 5:30 p.m.  The location of this house party is 256 South Columbia Avenue in Bexley.

If you are interested in attending this event and meeting David, please RSVP to mail@robinson2008.com

For more information about David Robinson and his campaign platform, please visit www.robinson2008.com

 If not us, who?  If not now, when?

David Robinson, Ohio 12th U.S. Congressional District Candidate, will be attending a "Robinson for Congress" campaign event on Tuesday, February 26 at 6:30 p.m. This event will be held at the Fountain of Hope located at 967 East Livingston Avenue in Columbus. 

This is free and open to the public, so please come to meet David and hear him speak about why he is running for Congress.  

For more information about David Robinson and his campaign platform, please visit http://www.robinson2008.com

 If not us, who?  If not now, when?

David Robinson has posted his first video to his website, entitled the "Apollo II Energy Program". 

Please visit www.robinson2008.com to view this video or go to YouTube and watch the video at  http://www.youtube.com/robinson4congress 

If you live in the 12th Congressional District, this is a must watch video!

If not us, who?  If not now, when?

David Robinson, Ohio 12th U.S. Congressional District Candidate, will be attending a "Robinson for Congress" house party on Tuesday, February 19 at 5:30 p.m.  The house party location is 2143 Willowick in Columbus.

If you are interested in attending this event and meeting David, please RSVP to mail@robinson2008.com

For more information about David Robinson and his campaign platform, please visit www.robinson2008.com

 If not us, who?  If not now, when?

David Robinson, a 12th U.S. Congressional District candidate, will speak at the Worthington Area Democratic Club - Candidates' Night.  This event will be held on February 20, from 7-9 p.m. at the Worthington Municipal Building, located at 6550 N. High Street in Worthington. 

This event is free and open to the public, so please come hear David speak and support his campaign!

For more information on David Robinson and his campaign platform or to volunteer, please visit www.robinson2008.com

If not us, who?  If not now, when?

David Robinson will be holding a campaign meeting Saturday, February 16 at 2:00 p.m. at the Real Living Training Center in Westerville, 773 Brooksedge Plaza Drive. If you are interested in being involved in the Robinson for Congress campaign, please join us!

For information about David and his campaign, please visit www.robinson2008.com .

"If not us, who? If not now, when?"