http://www.myspace.com/stopdivinestrake

Clear Channel, for those unfamiliar with the massive corporate media ownership dynamics of the media, owns about 1,200 stations nationwide.
 
This is the same big media corporation that made a list of about 150 songs that were recommended to be banned after Sept. 11 for containing words like "plane", "fly", and "falling" (i.e. Tom Petty's "Free Fallin" and Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World"). Clear Channel also paid for and organized pro-war rallies in the build up to the second Iraq War. In the further very dangerous mixing of big media and politics, critics accused Clear Channel of instigating the boycott against the Dixie Chicks when in 2003 Natalie Maines exercised her freedom of speech (and to criticize) to say she was ashamed of President Bush. A lot of people didn't realize at the time of this controversy was that Clear Channel was also bidding Washington D.C. support for various policies it wanted to be passed at the same time.

A lesser known but also serious issue with Clear Channel is its practice of having many of its radio stations on "auto-pilot" instead of having full-time employees overnight. This is a disaster waiting to happen and stifles immediate news and emergency responses to events.

In January 18, 2002 in Minot, North Dakota, a Canadian Pacific Railway train filled with 10,000 gallons of toxic anhydrous ammonia derailed in the early morning . With unbridled media ownership which Clear Channel possesses, it owned six of the seven stations in Minot. City officials attempted without success to reach the local Clear Channel office by telephone to spread the warning. It was only several critical hours later before someone was finally reached.

While Clear Channel has no problem in funding pro-war rallies, it rejected a billboard by Project Billboard that said "Democracy is best taught by example, not by war" along with a red, white, and blue image of a bomb. Clear Channel's contract with Project Billboard only allowed rejection for ads that were illegal or contrary to public morals.

I write all of this to build up the pattern by Clear Channel of its political behavior mixing with its massive media ownership which it molds its politics into (as well as the bad idea of putting nearly all of our media under the ownership of about six corporations).

Now, where is the connection to Divine Strake?

Some of you may remember that Terry Wood of KTVX (owned by Clear Channel) took an editorial position then "fully" supported by KVTX for doing so. Shortly thereafter, he was demoted from being an anchor for every weeknight at 10 p.m. Wood is now only on weekend newscasts. Clear Channel is a strong supporter of the Bush Administration and Divine Strake was a test for a program being pushed by the Bush Administration. Inadvertently, any criticism of any decision by the Bush Administration, even though the words "Bush Administration" were never mentioned, is unacceptable. David Dantuano, the news director for KTVX, publicly defended and praised Terry Wood's actions. The parent company, Clear Channel, uncomfortable with any criticism against the Bush Adminstration's decisions, promptly demoted Terry Wood after he left for a 10-day vacation.

Please contact Channel 4 KTVX and tell them that you want Terry Wood back, that you are offended that a long-time familiar face every weeknight at 10 p.m. should be punished for objecting against Divine Strake. And the action to demote him shortly thereafter suggests that KTVX cannot criticize government actions. The free press is supposed to be a watchdog, not censor itself.

KTVX e-mail address: comments@abc4.com
 
Thank you.

We defeated Divine Strake. We won against Divine Strake. We SHOULD celebrate. At the same time, the war against Divine Strake isn't over yet. ACTD has not been canceled.

ACTD? What is that, you say?

Divine Strake was the large-scale event for the the Tunnel Target Defeat Advanced Concept and Technology Demonstration (ACTD), which DTRA did NOT cancel. ACTD is for the development low-yield nuclear earth penetrator weapons, mini-nukes to destroy underground bunkers. If such a weapon had hit a target in Baghdad, for example, 10,000 people would be estimated to die from the nuclear fallout.

Divine Strake was canceled. This is a victory. The end purpose of Divine Strake, however, has not been terminated.

We need to cancel the Tunnel Target Defeat ACTD. Congress flatly refused (before the 2006 mid-term elections) that there will be any new nuclear weapons or development. ACTD flatly is against Congressional permission.

There were other tests in the Tunnel Target Defeat ACTD before Divine Strake such as Discrete Gemini in Indiana with two 1.5 ton tests of ANFO. These two 3,000 lb ANFO tests occured with no one been awaring of it in southern Indiana. We have to be vigilant. We have to pay attention.

DTRA backed down because of the sheer attention Divine Strake was receiving. They don't want attention brought to the bigger picture behind Divine Strake: ACTD.

Furthermore, we still have a lot of questions about Divine Strake that we want answered:

WHOSE idea was it?

As Rep. Matheson has demanded, we need of full hearings into who was pushing for Divine Strake, what was its purpose and what was the test data going to be used for, and why was it canceled?

I want the Pentagon to fuss up that ACTD is a violation of Congress' refusal for new nuclear development. I also want to know whose idea was it and which military industry complexes would have profited from Divine Strake.

If you want to continue to fight to stop ACTD (the program that Divine Strake is a part of), join the Citizens Against Divine Strake group (regional and international chapters). (We might rename it Citizens Against Defense Stupidity.)

I have saved my main message against Divine Strake for those who have come here without knowledge about it. This was written before its termination, but will inform you about it.

Yes, the test is now terminated, but the program that mothered Divine Strake, ACTD, is not and still is pursuing to develop new mini-nukes for underground targets. If such a weapon was dropped on a Baghdad underground bunker, safe estimates would put the civilian casualty to 10,000 people. ACTD also goes against Congressional refusal of permission to develop new nuclear weapons and threatens to violate the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty as well.

OLD MESSAGE AGAINST DIVINE STRAKE BEFORE THE TEST TERMINATION

IT IS WITH SOLEMN AND SERIOUS PURPOSE THAT I WRITE THESE WORDS:

There is a message in the media that needs more and more prominence. It is an issue that poses a risk not only to the entire state of Nevada and Utah, but also will be the precedent of a darker future internationally unless it is stopped. And time is running out. Action needs to be taken NOW.

I DON'T HOW INFORMED ABOUT YOU ARE ABOUT DIVINE STRAKE. YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE EVEN HEARD ABOUT IT. This is a precursor test by the Pentagon to renew the nuclear weapon program with the intention of using nuclear weapons as first strike weapons,not last resort weapons. This 700-ton chemical explosion is at the Nevada Testing Site where more than 900 nuclear weapon tests have beendone. The radioactive debris from this 10,000 foot explosion will fall upon Nevada and the entire state of Utah, not just southern Utah as it is commonly misunderstood.
____________________________________________________

A PUBLIC HEARING WAS HELD ON JAN. 24 IN SALT LAKE CITY. I ATTENDED IT. The overwhelming opposition will be given in transcript for "consideration". All indications I have observed and noted do not put me in high hopes.

The Pentagon broke their promise to announce a public hearing by mid-December and their lawyer also said that the government will not keep their promise of a 60 day notice after February 1st when Divine Strake will be executed. Divine Strake was delayed last year after criticisms of the environmental assessment that denied the soil was radioactive and denied that the debris would fall farther than a mile or two. The Pentagon said they would consider other locations, but ended up defaulting on the Nevada Testing Site instead of say, Dugway, because it would cheaper to do it at NTS and it would take less time toexecute the program. The message is clear: the Pentagon is trying to RUSH Divine Strake to execution.

The second environmental assessment says that the soil is indeed radioactive and that the debris will fall upon Utah. And yet it says won't be in "significant" doses. This is false science they are pushing. Even one of these radioactive particles that do exist in the soil will cause cancer. The second environmental assessment did not take into account particles smaller than 10 microns. Many dangerous particles are smaller than ten microns, some are as small as 2.5 microns. Even diesel exhaust is 5 microns.
____________________________________________________

Divine Strake must be STOPPED. Like Pete Ashdown who attended the meeting, I will do everything I can to stop this, even if it means going there, refusing to let the trucks go with the materials for the explosion and being arrested.

Utah will NOT suffer poisoned milk, water, food, and air from nuclear testing AGAIN. Food was poisoned in both Northern and Southern Utah. Southern Utah will not suffer a generation that often have never known their grandparents because of cancer caused by nuclear weapon testing. We will not be the expendable commodities of the government again! We will not have to worry about cancer, especially leukemia in our children, lymph node cancer, and bone cancer that all have been strongly connected to nuclear weapon radiation.
____________________________________________________

I am proposing an emergency agenda and for us to begin to take action.

First and foremost, citizens have a right to demand an environmental inspection study, EIS, instead of a environmental assessment as the Pentagon has been doing. We all need to write letters. And we all need to get as many other people to write letters. We need as many lettersas we can bleed from people as soon as possible.

CONTACT your congress representatives and senators. THIS ISN'T AN ISSUE EXCLUSIVE TO UTAH AND NEVADA. This is a change in our nuclear weapon policy for the entire nation and may have international consequences. Most representatives have profiles and e-mails online. Google: [your state] + find + legislature (or senator or representative). It will pull it up every time.

This will delay Divine Strake if not kill it.

WE MUST HAMMER hammer the media with letters and phone calls too. Independent, corporate, all media needs to be alerted to these facts.

TALK to your neighbors and friends about Divine Strake. BLOG about it. POST about it. TALK to activist organizations about this.

VISIT Stop Divine Strake! for more information.After all such media action and letter action, I for one am committing myself to go to the Nevada Testing Site to protest, as some people are ready to do already. But there is a lot we MUST do NOW do to stop it before it has to go that far and a better chance NOW than later.

I am all for ideas. And I am all for organizing ASAP.

I hope that I have communicated myself both passionately and clearly enough about the scope and importance of this issue so that you understand why I have written this letter.

In Solidarity,

Stewart N. Thorpe

We defeated Divine Strake. We won against Divine Strake. We SHOULD celebrate. At the same time, the war against Divine Strake isn't over yet. ACTD has not been canceled.

ACTD? What is that, you say?

Divine Strake was the large-scale event for the the Tunnel Target Defeat Advanced Concept and Technology Demonstration (ACTD), which DTRA did NOT cancel. ACTD is for the development low-yield nuclear earth penetrator weapons, mini-nukes to destroy underground bunkers. If such a weapon had hit a target in Baghdad, for example, 10,000 people would be estimated to die from the nuclear fallout.

Divine Strake was canceled. This is a victory. The end purpose of Divine Strake, however, has not been terminated.

We need to cancel the Tunnel Target Defeat ACTD. Congress flatly refused (before the 2006 mid-term elections) that there will be any new nuclear weapons or development. ACTD flatly is against Congressional permission.

There were other tests in the Tunnel Target Defeat ACTD before Divine Strake such as Discrete Gemini in Indiana with two 1.5 ton tests of ANFO. These two 3,000 lb ANFO tests occured with no one been awaring of it in southern Indiana. We have to be vigilant. We have to pay attention.

DTRA backed down because of the sheer attention Divine Strake was receiving. They don't want attention brought to the bigger picture behind Divine Strake: ACTD.

Furthermore, we still have a lot of questions about Divine Strake that we want answered:

WHOSE idea was it?

As Rep. Matheson has demanded, we need of full hearings into who was pushing for Divine Strake, what was its purpose and what was the test data going to be used for, and why was it canceled?

I want the Pentagon to fuss up that ACTD is a violation of Congress' refusal for new nuclear development. I also want to know whose idea was it and which military industry complexes would have profited from Divine Strake.

If you want to continue to fight to stop ACTD (the program that Divine Strake is a part of), join the Citizens Against Divine Strake group (regional and international chapters). (We might rename it Citizens Against Defense Stupidity.)

By Stewart N. Thorpe

DIVINE STRAKE IS TERMINATED!

Not delayed. Not postponed. Not alternate locations being considered again. Not yet another environmental assessment. The madness of Divine Strake is over. The madness that started in December 2005 finally concludes in termination. The activist actions built up enough momentum and awareness through a frustrating battle of more than a year has succeeded.

We have won.

We won.

Some 10,000 Utahn and Nevadans expressed opposition against Divine Strake. The public input for Divine Strake's environmental assessment by the Pentagon was higher than any environmental assessment in history conducted by the Pentagon. Three counties in Utah made resolutions against Divine Strake. The Utah legislature would finally follow in the last minutes of the struggle to pass a resolution against Divine Strake.

And as with almost every activist effort in history, the government has followed with the old tried explanation that the activism had nothing to do to change their minds!

"I have become convinced that it's time to look at alternative methods that obviate the need for this type of large-scale test," Defense Threat Reduction Agency Director Dr. James A. Tegnelia.

The agency said it was not a result of any information that the test might hurt workers or the public, but that seemingly, after trying for more than a year to conduct Divine Strake, meeting public resistance that turned into public outrage in the second round, that 10,000 responses in opposition, suddenly they decide that the test was useless and alternatives existed that were better (as was suggested by some citizens many times before). The Pentagon wants to take away the feeling of complete victory from Divine Strake's opponents.

Let us look back at the timeline of events to see if their explanation for termination makes any sense whatsoever:

The timeline and nature of the Pentagon trying to rush Divine Strake through,  not keeping to the mid-December promise of public hearings, refusing public input, breaking more promises by turning the public hearings into public information sessions instead, denying alternate locations for reasons such as taking more time in preparation, and refusing a 60 day notice promise after Feb. 1 which is before the public input deadline on Feb. 7.

The Pentagon was trying very hard to push Divine Strake through as fast as possible.

And the second environmental assessment didn't take into account particles smaller than 10 microns, so, of course, with fixed data like that, Divine Strake would seem to be less dangerous than your smoke detector. This fact was not as widely known and discussed. I personally made a point to inform people and the media about it. Even without it though, the first and second environmental assessment contradict each other so completely that it logically brings the professionalism or credibility of both environmental assessments into question. This was quite obvious to many people.

With all this in mind, we are expected to believe that on Feb. 22, they, previously doing everything to rush Divine Strake pass the public, suddenly had a change of mind if Divine Strake was actually a useful test. And that Divine Strake was terminated for reasons independent of the public outcry and input.

The Pentagon wanted to execute Divine Strake. Their actions were especially designed in the second round to bypass the public input as much as possible. They broke promises doing so. They had even a public input deadline, Feb. 7,  that was after the date, Feb. 1, which is when a government lawyer said she couldn't give the public 60 day notice when Divine Strake was to be executed. All of their actions testify of the determination, solid determination that the Pentagon had for Divine Strake.

No, the Pentagon ran into more public resistance, skepticism, and outcry than they ever expected.

Enough that the Pentagon, the most powerful military entity in the world, backed down.

Divine Strake was not safe. So many objected to their environmental assessment's credibility and the wisdom of Divine Strake's nuclear purpose. The media was aroused and got on track. In fact, Channel 4 in Utah became so convinced by people like us objecting to Divine Strake that they would take an unabashed stand as a news station against Divine Strake's safety.

The Pentagon doesn't want to face up to being defeated by the public.

What happened? It was the power of the people that happened. The public outcry came from the grassroots, us. It was the grassroots that made the test into a media event and brought it into public awareness and discussion.

It was the grassroots, us, the people, that relentlessly would not let Divine Strake become forgotten in the public conscious. It was the people that locked unto Divine Strake with an iron grip. With the letters to the editors, contacting various elected and non-elected officials, flooding the media for more attention, protests, petitions, and more, word got out about Divine Strake.

And the public outcry turned from resistance to outcry to determined and united resolution to stop Divine Strake.

And in the second round of Divine Strake (after it was postponed the first time
), the fury grew threefold.

The Pentagon now knew that if they did postpone it again for a third environmental assessment, it would be more difficult, if not impossible, to fix the parameters of the data again. Even if they could find another loophole to mislead the public to Divine Strake's safety, the third round's fury would even be greater. With few exceptions, the public didn't buy the Pentagon's assurances. Lee Benson was an exception. In an act of lazy journalism, he relied on the so-called "experts" who didn't critically examine the scope of the data to realize that the second enviornmental assessment didn't include particles smaller than 10 microns. It is precisely that size of particles that are more likely to be dangerous and more likely to suspend in air and travel.

And the Pentagon knew if they gave in to do an Environmental Impact Study by an independent group, who wouldn't fix the parameters of the data, that they would exposed as liars.

The Pentagon knew if they refused to do a third environmental assessment or allow an Environmental Impact Study and went ahead anyway, the public outrage might lead to undesirable consequences. I would fully expect to see pictures and videos of concerned fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, grandmothers, and grandfathers being arrested and possibly brutalized against in civil disobedience against the test.

The Pentagon also knew that if they admitted to terminating Divine Strake because it may have been a public health hazard, it would lose more face and credibility than it already has.

Don't let them save face or to save their credibility.

Their behavior of breaking promises, refusing public input by turning public hearings into public information sessions, by the absurd conclusions of the first environmental assessment which were completely contradicted by the second environmental assessment, by refusing a 60 day notice on a date before the deadline of public input, by fixing the parameters of the second environmental assessment, the Pentagon has no credibility in future promises of safety and has forfeited public trust and respect by its bullish, flagrantly indifferent actions.

As V for Vendetta says in the movie: "People should not be afraid of their government. The government should be afraid of the people."

And today, the Pentagon, without saying it, has admitted that today, it terminated Divine Strake because it was afraid of the people.

If a lesson is to come from Divine Strake, it is this:

Government itself will never faithfully champion democracy. The only champions of democracy is us, the people, the grassroots of power.

Governments, even ones with noble words in Constitutions and Bill of Rights, will naturally prefer to conduct its will outside of the will of the its people. And neither Constitution nor Bill of Rights nor three branches of government will ever preserve and create democracy or freedom.

When we use our power, when we stand up for our will, when we fight for it, we become something more:

We become democracy, and we become freedom.

It is with our labor and our money that the government exists. Simply put, real power lies with us. It always has. And it always will.

And, as we have learned from Divine Strake, elections and voting do not  safeguard and ensure the will of the people. Voting is neither the beginning or the end for being of a citizen of democracy and freedom.

Grassroots, the power of the people, is the the blood of democracy and freedom. Nothing else will or can sustain democracy and freedom. The destiny of freedom and democracy is ours to protect and prosper, not the Pentagon, not the President, not Congress, not the police, not the FBI, not the CIA, not even the NSA, but us and us alone.

The real threat to democracy and freedom doesn't come from terrorists.

You cannot take away freedom from people if they absolutely refuse to give up their freedom.

We, the grassroots of power, the people, will take action whenever we feel that our democracy and freedom is being curtailed or threatened. And we will also demand greater freedom and democracy in our communities and lives.

Freedom is not something that can be taken from us.

Freedom is something that is only lost when we give it up.

But we will never give it up.

First, please visit Citizens Against Divine Strake (http://www.stopdivinestrake.cads.html), a newly formed grassroots organization of independent activists who oppose Divine Strake. If you want to know what you can do for where you live, this is a place to start. I know a few are not located in the United States, for you I suggested an International chapter to be formed as well. It has been formed. There is a chapter for everyone and everywhere.

We must use a better framework.

While Divine Strake is not named by named, a Special Report by the Guardian in the UK has published about the U.S. intentions to develop mini-nukes. The Guardian was among many media outlets I have contacted. I have no idea to know if my e-mail tipped them off, but either way, this is why each one of you need to contact as many media outlets as you can, wherever you are. I will be posting some talking points for various reasons you can use when contacting organizations or individuals about Divine Strake. Subscribe and stay tuned.

The URL, by the way, for the Guardian's piece:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/flash/us_mininukes.swf

PS: Keep updated, don't rely on MySpace bulletins alone! http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ConfirmSubscribe&friendID=152129549   

I have formally joined a new group formed connected to http://www.stopdivinestrake.com - Citizens Against Divine Strake (http://www.stopdivinestrake.com/cads.html)

There are and will be regional chapters to better organize people across the United States and more effectively to seize and take action for their respective regions. Whether you are in the Northeast, Northwest, the Midwest, the Intermountain West or California, or in the Plains States. When you contact them, tell them which region you are interested in.

We need a better framework to take organized action for where we are. This will be the framework.

Quoted from CADS:

"Across the United States, increasing numbers of citizens are learning about Divine Strake and reacting to this unjust, dangerous and irrational proposed military experiment with anger, bemusement and frustration.  We believe that the only way to stop Divine Strake is by nationwide citizen action.  However, in the absence of an established activist framework to provide citizens concerned and willing to stop Divine Strake with assistance, guidance and strategic advice, citizens are struggling to participate democratically to effect positive change.   That is why we are sponsoring a new support network called Citizens Against Divine Strake.

Citizens Against Divine Strake, or CADS, is a decentralized organization that will consist of several regional chapters and has a single-purpose: convincing the United States government to permanently scrap plans for the Divine Strake test.  

The staff of StopDivineStrake.com and its allies will provide assistance, guidance, strategic advice, and other support to CADS chapters for their efforts."

Each of you on this members' list, take the time today to join the list. I can keep you informed, yes, I can recommend new actions, yes, I can do and will continue to do those things, but I for you to have the most impact against Divine Strake, we must use a framework.

---

ONE MORE THING:

You are friends from many places, some even outside of the United States.

I believe that Divine Strake awareness needs to be raised on an even larger scale. If you have friends outside of the United States who you think may be interested in taking action against Divine Strake, let them know now. Likewise, if you are outside of the United States and have friends in the United States, let them know about Divine Strake now.

I have also a special message to those who are outside of the United States, I ask you to action. The US has consulates and embassies spanning the globe. If you are a lone activist or connected to other activists, organize a protest outside one of these consulates and embassies, make sure to send press releases and contact the media, oppose Divine Strake as a precursor to violating the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty and that it may possibly lead to renewed nuclear weapon development and testing in the United States. Another very valid argument against Divine Strake is that it is violating a  U.N. recognized treaty with the Shoshone Nation and is ignoring the rights of indigenous people.

ADD: http://www.myspace.com/stopdivinestrake2 in case this profile is deleted.

So, I get this message when I log in that says my account is "flagged" for suspicious activity. Really:

"Alert - Your account has been blocked due to suspicious activity."

So, if this profile evaporates, you will have some forewarning.

I don't got a clue what is going on with that they believe is "suspicious activity". I get this in the mail and friend requests window. I may not be able to do anything with friend requests and mail for an indefinite period. I am guessing. I can still post blogs, just tried, and am going to try to post a bulletin now, obviously.

If it is deleted, please tell Tom and e-mail MySpace to reactivate http://myspace.com/stopdivinestrake . Its kinda important that you remember this. Don't e-mail him until if it happens at all.

Put me in your top 8 friends or whatever too so you can tell if the profile suddenly is deleted. I have never had such a message before at MySpace. So, I don't know what to expect.

I would e-mail them, but the message says not to e-mail them about it. Perhaps it will be "unblocked" after a few days. I do not know. I am told to "just wait it out". If it takes longer than a few days, I might set up a new account.

Please subscribe to an old mailing list I set up and neglected while this MySpace account is blocked for some undisclosed reason.

Subscribe at https://lists.riseup.net/www/info/citizenpressrevolution

Thank you for all of your efforts, feedback, and support. I'll see you here or there. Please repost this too.

Don't forget to blog and post against Divine Strake. I am planning an action against it soon. And will be helping encourage those really dedicated individuals participate in a mass walk from Las Vegas to the Nevada Testing Site that will be happening near the end of March against Divine Strake.

Subscribe to the list, put me up your on the friend list, watch to see if I disappear, THEN if I do, e-mail Tom or MySpace or whatever to get me back.

Cross your fingers.

So, I get this message when I log in that says my account is "flagged" for suscipious activity. Really:

"Alert - Your account has been blocked due to suspicious activity."

So, if this profile evaporates, you will have some forewarning.

I don't got a clue what is going on with that they believe is "suscipious activity".

IF it is deleted, please tell Tom and e-mail myspace to reactivate http://myspace.com/stopdivinestrake . Its kinda important that you remember this. Don't e-mail him until if it happens at all. I am blocked, but I can still blog and bulletin it seems.

To be safe, please put me in your top 8 friends or whatever too so you can tell if the profile suddenly is deleted. I have never had such a message before at MySpace.

I would e-mail them, but the message says not to e-mail them about it. Perhaps it will be "unblocked" after a few days. I do not know. I am told to "just wait it out".

To be safe, because I don't know what exactly is going on, put me up on your top friends list and see whether I disappear this week or not. If I do, THEN e-mail MySpace to undelete my account and put it back.

PLUS, please subscribe to an old mailing list I set up and neglected while this account is blocked for some undisclosed reason.

Subscribe at https://lists.riseup.net/www/info/citizenpressrevolution -- and I can still keep in touch with all of you.

Thank you for all of your efforts, feedback, and support. I'll see you here or there.

Cross your fingers.