Source: JSTOR:

• Congressional Oversight: The Case of the Clean Air Act

• Michael J. Scicchitano
• Legislative Studies Quarterly, Vol. 11, No. 3 (Aug., 1986), pp. 393-407
• Published by: Comparative Legislative Research Center

Petition to Support Iranis!

Here is the copy of the email from Avaaz: Please sign to support the people!

Dear Friends,

Iranian activists have appealed to the world to oppose the violent crackdown on their protests. Massive new protests are planned, the regime is divided. A united global outcry of 1 million voices could help stop the violence. Call on world leaders to unite against the crackdown:

Today, the hearts and hopes of people around the world are with protesters facing awful risks on the streets of Iran. Regardless of who won the election, the question now is one of fundamental human rights.

Top Iranian leaders are divided, so every bit of pressure matters. With massive new protests imminent, Iranian activists are urgently appealing for a united international response to oppose the violent crackdown.

Sign the petition below calling on ALL governments to condemn the crackdown and withhold recognition of any Iranian government until election concerns are peacefully addressed. Then forward this email to friends and family -- let's build a massive global outcry of 1 million voices against the crackdown:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/iran_stop_the_crackdown

We'll deliver the petition directly to the leaders of Iran's largest trading partners and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the UN, and other international groups respected in Iran. A united international response will puncture the regime's spin that the US and UK alone are behind global criticism.

People power is sweeping global politics. But where leaders respond violently to nonviolent protest, from Burma to Zimbabwe to Iran, global solidarity is needed to show governments that repression weakens their rule, rather than strengthening it.

Avaaz means "voice" in Farsi, the Iranian language. Let's show the people of Iran that, whoever they voted for, we support their right to have their voices heard. Click below to sign the petition, and spread the word by forwarding this email:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/iran_stop_the_crackdown

With hope and determination,

Ricken, Ben, Milena, Paul, Raluca, Brett, Iain, Pascal, Raj, Graziela, Taren, Paula, Margaret, Veronique and the whole Avaaz team.

PS - For more information on the Iranian elections and protests see these news sources:

BBC -- "Iran silences protesters": http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8112036.stm

Associated Press -- "Struggle amongst Iran's clerics bursts into the open": http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jGSJEAPs_r2T2wxsL5G3t4z-jajQD98VC5T81

Al Jazeera -- "Iran's Mousavi urges defiance" : http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/06/2009621191831403557.html

The Huffington Post -- Iran Live blog: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/13/iran-demonstrations-viole_n_215189.html

Irani's getting killed with AXES

A friend was listening to Dennis Prager on the radio this morning - JUST NOW, from what I remember that my friend told me that she heard; an Irani called an American, the American taped the phone conversation. In the phone call, the Irani said that people were being hacked to deah by axes. Maybe I misheard - which I sincerely hope I did - but that is what I understood. I am trying to get a link to put up here and on Twitter.

Good News for Trader Joes in SD:

Oh yeah, major success in SD, CA - here's the email I received:

Subject: Direct action at Trader Joe's was a success..but not in the way our 'cousins' had intended

Hi, all!

Well, it seems we may have struck a blow for Israeli commerce, at least in San Diego :)

I walked into the Trader Joe's in La Jolla at about 1:30pm PDT, and was relieved to see no Israeli products adorning the floor. I then went up to the Customer Service desk, and asked to be pointed in the directon of all the Israeli products they sold. They did not have to ask why; I was informed that throughout the day, customers had been coming in, and specifically asking to purchase Israeli products. In fact, the chopped garlic had already sold out, and the remaining 4 items (couscous, cilantro, basil and feta cheese) were on their way to being sold out!

When I asked whether the run on the Israeli products was a coincidence, the TJ's people said it was no coincidence. While maintaining their apolitical stance, they said that word of the anti-Israel stunt had served to accomplish only one thing: it had actually spurred the sale of Trader Joe's Israeli products!

So thanks to all of you who helped to spread the word in 36 hours...ya done good! Special mention goes to Nicole Blacher (who initially informed me via the newsletter I forwarded on Thursday) and to Gary Rotto, who hastily assembled the following online column:

http://www.jewishsightseeing.com/#rotto

After I returned, I went online to express my support to the stalwarts at Trader Joe's. I suggest you do the same. Here's the web address of their Feedback page:

http://www.traderjoes.com/general_feedback_form.aspx

This is what I wrote:

Sirs,
I very rarely write to corporate entities but extraordinary stands require
extraordinary measures. I very much want to register my gratitude to Trader
Joe's for deciding NOT to cave in to anti-Israel organizations, and continuing
to sell products made in Israel.
I know your stand is apolitical in nature but anyone attempting to convince you
that the organization behind the plan to deshelve Israeli products in your
stores is pro-Palestinian is a tool...in both senses of the word. The
deshelving action is simply an extension of the worldwide Arab boycott of
Israeli goods, an official boycott that goes way back to the creation of the
Jewish state in 1948. Trader Joe's finds itself in good company. Organizations
that have been threatened include Nestlé, Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson,
Burger King, AOL Time Warner, Disney, Estée Lauder, Nokia, Revlon, Marks &
Spencer, Selfridges and IBM. Up until 5 years ago, I had not heard of Trader
Joe's; I had been living in the UK
for the previous 10 years. However, shortly after my return to San Diego, I was introduced to your store,
and have become a devoted customer ever since. After learning about Trader
Joe's refusal to succumb to the boycott of Israeli goods, I wouldn't think of
shopping anywhere else. In fact, I made a special point of visiting your La Jolla store earlier today to buy one item of every
Israeli product that you sell, including frozen cilantro...AND I HATE CILANTRO!
One of the items you normally sell, chopped garlic, had sold out, apparently
not by coincidence. I was informed by various store personnel that there had
been a steady stream of customers all day long who had been buying Israeli
goods in support of your apolitical stance. Once again, I applaud that
apolitical stance. I choose to SUPPORT organizations, not BOYCOTT them! :) Kind
regards (and thanks), Henry Shillet

Thanks to everyone for their help!

B'shalom,

Henry Shillet

THE CONNECTOR

Hello

Nothing new worth mentioning today from the news...at least not that I've heard. I REALLY want to do something for the farmer's here in CA, not just declare another State of Emergency which will just be more wait and more crap and higher prices. I want to do something! I know not many read this blog but PLEASE if you think of something or you want to do something for the sake of our farmers - PLEASE help me out~! I'm not sure how to get the ball rolling or when/how to set the date, or much of anything really - but if you know people then we can band together.

Farmer's Rally

Ok, so for people who don't know what the heck I'm referring to, here's the video:



To STLN: XD Twitter didn't allow for much explanation, I'm unsure of how much I can organize such an event - or even where to hold it. Please let me know if you hear about more people/when/where if there are. Hope I can do something.

Don't Let Them Win

Below is the email I received from a friend who works at a Trader Joe's:



"Hi Everyone: I can't personally vouch for this, but decided it is best to notify. (LS) You can see this information at Bluetruth.net

Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Fight the BDS Movement--Shop at Trader Joe's on June 20!
The BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement is an tactic from the anti-apartheid effort now adopted by the anti-Israel groups in the US and Europe. Of course, it completely ignores the actual fact, which is that Arabs in the State of Israel have citizenship and full and equal political and civil rights.

Periodically, this effort targets stores selling Israeli products, in an effort to persuade them to stop stocking them. This time, they have focused their efforts on Trader Joe's. The good news is that Trader Joe's isn't buying the garbage being peddled by the anti-Israel groups, but will continue to buy (and sell) the Israeli products that they have provided for years. (Disclaimer: I just love shopping at Trader Joe's. It's the only store I know of around here where I can--and do-- buy Osem couscous, Eden feta, or the Dorot frozen cubes of garlic, basil and cilantro.)

This letter was received by the Central Pacific office of the Anti-Defamation League from Jon Basalone,Senior VP, Marketing, Trader Joe's:
“We have received a few letters like this via our customer relations email as well. Our response is that we sell products, and do not use our products as political tools or to make20any statements about any political causes. We have no intention of removing any products based on pressure from any group, no matter what they support or don’t support. As always, we believe our customers are smart, and they are capable of making decisions about what they purchase. Let me know if you have any more questions or need more information.”

So the good news is that nobody has to contact Trader Joe's to urge them to keep Israeli products in the stores. However, the anti-Israel groups behind the BDS effort have called for concerted action on June 20 (World Refugee Day) to "de-shelve" Israeli products from Trader Joe's. Somehow, the Arab regimes that have kept their Arab brethren locked in refugee camps for 60 years avoid any responsibility for this--I don't see Lebanese, Egyptian or Jordanian products being targeted.

Now, I only know of 3 ways to "de-shelve" a product-- you get the store to pull it off the shelf, you buy it, or you steal/vandalize it. Given that the first has already proven a failure, and I don't think they plan to BUY a whole bunch of couscous, that leaves stealing and vandalizing.

So, go to your local Trader Joe's and do three things on June 20 (or, if you are shomer Shabbat, on June 19):

1. Buy a whole bunch of Israeli products (if they are off the shelf, maybe someone else read this and bought the entire stock-- so go to the store manag
er and tell him/her they need to buy more!)

2. Tell the store manager to keep stocking these products because you really like them!

3. Also tell the store manager that anti-Israel groups have declared June 20 as a "National Day to De-Shelve Israeli Products" so they can be aware of potential efforts to shoplift, deface or otherwise vandalize these products."

And please pass the couscous.
Posted by DrMike at 4:28 PM 7 comments Links to this post
Labels: BDS