I Thank You

I thank you Kurt Vonnegut, You Were a Champion

I thank you Kurt Vonnegut, You Were a Champion. You were funny, irreverent, trenchant in your books and in the Mark Twain-like stand up I attended at the Montgomery County Community College auditorium some years back.

You survived in a bunker during the bombing of Dresden, lived to write about it in Slaughtherhouse Five... and yet now, how can we even conceive of any novel of dark humor being written about the Iraq War which has cost hundreds of thousands of lives, devastated the health of millions, degraded the environment and stolen billions of dollars we needed here at home in our cities for schools, public transportation, health care, parks... but wait, I can. It begins with a president intent on getting one Saddam Hussein becuase Saddam once threatened his Daddy and nothing to do with weapons of mass destruction....Sometimes awards are presented posthumously...might you consider writing a novel posthumously about our federal government's weapons of mass deception?

I thank Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell for taking a stand on the Iraq War

I thank Councilwoman Blackwell for introducing a resolution for a question to be placed on the ballot for referendum vote stating that "the citizens of Philadelphia urge the United States to make year 2007 the time to redeploy U.S. troops out of harm's way in Iraq."

Thank you Doctors Magee and Gewirtzman

Thank you Doctors Magee and Gewirtzman for the senstive and comprehensive medical care you provide  to  my children; what can our society do to make sure no child is left behind when it comes to the kind of medical care that you provide? Maybe a meeting on single payer health care featuring Rep John Conyers (D- Mi) on March 25 here in Philadelphia will be instructive. And thank you Dr. Gewirtzman for letting me know that your Dad, a Holocaust survivor will be speaking after services at Or Hadash in Fort Washington on March 23 and how important it is that we take action in Darfur, Sudan. Let's redeploy those US troops in Iraq to do some good, humanitarian peacekeeping work leading as part of a UN contingency in the Sudan!

I Thank You Kofi Annan for being you

I thank you Kofi Annan for trying to pressure the United States government to abide with international law and work through the United Nations to resolve disputes rather than go it alone and get embroiled in wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and who knows where next..Iran, North Korea (there are just so many places to bomb arent there) Your work was not in vain and we in Philadelphia are continuing your work and will be parading on March 17, the 4th anniversary of the start of the Iraq war,  for non-violence in our gun and shooting riddled City and for nonviolence in the world in the great traditions of Martin Luther King, Mahatma Ghandi and so many others. Happy 50th Independence Day to Ghana and your countrymen.

We, in the United States, are not yet free from a government that engages in catastrophic military conflicts, draining our communities of precious resources that we need to build our schools, care for our children and our environment but instead, sends us back body bags and dedicated servicemen, damaged in body and soul, for whom, ironically, we have insufficent resources to care for as they deserve.

I Thank You, Richard Snowden of Bowman Properties

I thank you, Richard Snowden of Bowman Properties for renting out of one of your storefronts to the Sneed Gallery and Photo Studio, at 8401 Germantown Avenue in Chestnut Hill (Philadelphia) I discovered the gallery when I passed the "Weapons of Mass Deception" wooden flag sculpture Mr. Sneed did with his school-age son, David,  propped up outside the store.  See weapons of deception sign

But I really would like if you would rent your vacant storefront properties before I issue a proposal, as an aspirant to the 8th District City Council seat,  that such property be subject to ongong levies proportional to their fair market value.

I recall how pleasant and courteous you always were when I worked part-time in an antique shop of yours on Germantown Avenue in Chestnut Hill. And I noticed the care and the delight you took in picking out objets as gifts for friends.

I welcome you to expand your circle of friends and yes, get involved in politics- did you ever go on the early morning jog with Mayor Street that you won at auction, was it?

I/We the Northwest community need your help as, I daresay, you need ours. Let's not continue this dialog in the papers and in the blogs.

Brian, tel:215-247-2270

I Thank You, Protestors and Senators and Everyone Who is Trying to Bring an End to This Insane War

Text of speech given outside Senator Arlen Specter's Office in the Philadelphia Federal Building, Wednesday January 24, 2007 anti-war rally:

Hi. My name is Brian Rudnick and I am a member of the Green Party of Philadelphia. And this is my friend Paul Mack; he is a Democrat and I daresay some of you are even Republicans. I am happy to be here and am thankful you are too. I bring with me a sign I have had since I marched along with thousands of others in in March of 2003, perhaps along with you, just before the start of the Iraq War. I held on to the sign, anticipating that I might have to re-use it. [empty warhead found in White House] And I do,but I would much prefer to recycle it. We in Philadelphia send thousands of tons of paper and bottles to landfills when we could be recycling them, earning us money to help take care of the critical human needs here at home and making our environment safer and healthier.

What I have to say today is that it is time to Recycle Now Philadelphia. And my hope is that if that we raise our voices loudly enough our voices of reason will be joined by the voice of Senator Arlen nSpecter when he signs the non-partisan resolution against the escalation. I would like for us to be able to recycle ALL of our signs NOW! See all pictures here