24/7 PEOPLE OVER PROFITS - BACK ON THE "HILL"

God willing by 7:30am I'll be back on the "Hill" for as many months or years as it takes to see a fundamental shift in Congress from Profits to People.



The last 4 days in Pennsylvania are the happiest days I can ever remember, in a year when I didn't know that more joy than I bask in every day was a possibility. I must be doing something good. Such love, kindness, humanity I've been surrounded with. God in our midst.

“START, I’M CHRIS ???? FROM CONNECTICUT”

****Chris ???*** Correction 11/7/07: Hmmm. Now that I've had a chance to listen to Dodd's voice on the radio, and to check the internet - it could have been any of three "Chris's" that stopped by to see me.

Mid last week in the middle of the afternoon I was sitting on the steps of the Cannon House Office building about two in the afternoon gazing into the sky toward the west so my gaze was averted from passersby, giving them full permission to gaze, ignore, ponder… whatever. My peripheral vision is quite good and I became aware of a tall figure obviously walking toward me to engage.

To express welcome I redirected my gaze to the figure. “Start, I’m Chris Dodd of Connecticut,” said a voice that would strike anyone with its pronounced humility, respect, humanity and kindness. “I’m worried about your health.”

“I offer you my great thanks for what you are doing. You are impacting both sides of the aisle. You are showing us what it means to stand for a cause.”

“I’M DENNIS KUCINICH”

About a week and a half ago I was sitting on the steps of the Cannon Office Building sitting up with the signs, but dozing in the early afternoon.

I was awakened by “Hello.” I turned and recognized the face of the man at my left but before I could find the name he continued. “I’m Dennis Kucinich,” he said with no more ore less pomp than when you or I introduce ourselves. “I’ve driven past you before and this time I didn’t want to drive by again, so I had to park and come over. Thank you for what you are doing. Thank you for your courage.”

NEW SIGNS

CAPITOL HILL 24/7 FOR PEOPLE (OFF-)DAY #28

RETURNING TO CANNON OFFICE BUILDING ON TUESDAY I expect.

It takes a village. Part of the small village that has supported my work over the years is in Philadelphia and for my joy, and in support of them I am staying here one day longer than I had anticipated.

The village, the blessed community is our entire hope and it is my joy to direct one additional day toward the strength, growth and health of that village, and me.

CAPITOL HILL VIGIL-FOR-PEOPLE (OFF-)DAY #27

Per the post below (Capitol Hill Campaign Day 25 BRIEF BREAK) God has afforded me the most excruciatingly joyful gift of reunion with my beloved Pennsylvania family. I am overwhelmed with joy, and hope for the world. She is so evident among these people.

However, their house where theY have me stay is in the stone age technically and I've had no Internet access - hence the post updating you on exciting recent progress has not yet been achieved. Yes, it IS my fault. Later this afternoon maybe.

Loving you,

Start

Capitol Hill Campaign Day 25 BRIEF BREAK

Please check back in a few days for a lengthier update on the last several weeks - some of which might please you quite a bit.

For now - 3 DAY BREAK from the 7/24 Occupation I've been maintaining. Hypothermia, Exhaustion, the Toll of this my 5th Hunger Strike in the last 18 months - they say discretion is the better part of valor. I'm ok, but I think it wise if I target not tomorrow, but Monday AM to return to Capitol Hill 24/7.

Your brother,

Start

Day #16 Hunger Strike for US Forces, Iranians, Iraqis

The weather is very kind - mild. My body is no longer putting out much heat due to the Hunger Strike. It was mid 70's but even so I was chilly with two sweatshirts on.

Often the Congress People use the tunnels but today they were out in force all day long. Many had to look at the Hunger Strike and ponder. My sense is that their Spirits, their Humanity is all but dead. They need what I am doing, and similar work from many, many, many people before their Humanity will be restored.

Joan N. from Kennett Sq, PA came by for a while. In her mid 70's I guess. Seems to spend more time in DC getting arrested for efforts to stop the war, than she spends at the bridge table. Very inspiring.

I'm pretty weak physically but everything else checks out ok.

I expect to return to Cannon first thing tomorrow (Wednesday) morning and remain there 24/5-7 with few exceptions for many, many, many months.

REQUIREMENTS for the Vigil: Watch at the upper left for a link to what the current requirements are. Later tonight I expect.

BACK AT CANNON TuesDAY

Thank goodness I'm back.

Today, Tuesday from 7am until 6pm.

Will return to the Peace House tonight to pack and finish the indexes linked to HOME PAGE of

START LOVING.

Wednesday I hope to set down at Cannon 24/7 until People (US Forces, Iranians, Iraqis) become more important on Capitol Hill than keeping Congresspeople fat.

Quote from American President:

"I was so busy keeping my job
I for got to do my job.
That ends now."

"CASE DISMISSED"

This was a victory for the "system," in God's eyes.

Due to weekly vigils of Catholic Workers / Jonah House there is familiarity and a modicum of respect on the part of the Pentagon police, and ilLegal inJustice system staff involved with us yesterday. With the benefit of their "sense" of "our kind," the officers / court / etc involved quickly realized, as I realized on the spot, that they had lumped me in with tomato planters, which I did not. I contested nothing, just gently shared the Truth pre-trial.

History, and my brotherly behavior toward this part of my family evoked from them, "we'll dismiss your charges. We don't want you penalized for something you did not do."

Details on the day will be appearing at Jonah House soon, I expect.

I am now, on Hunger Strike, working round the clock to bring Start Loving to an acceptable level of completion.

My expectation is to be on Capitol Hill at Cannon House Office Building by Tuesday, 24/7 until the next court date November 14th.

COURT OCTOBER 12TH

COURT OCTOBER 12TH FOR LEAFLETTING REGARDING WARMING AT THE PENTAGON.

If I am cited/jailed for contempt the reasons I can anticipate are:

• Calling the officials the sign of love and connection I call everyone - brother and sister.
• Rising for the "Judge" out of respect AND doing the same for everyone else present.
• Responding only to "Start" or "Mr. Loving" instead of the old name they have been insisting on.
• Reading the Bible silently during other court cases instead of "paying attention" as required last time by the bailiff. With Iran, Iraq, Darfur, Haiti... I cannot waste such time - it is theirs, not mine.
• Calling the Judge "sister / brother" not Judge - Your Honor - which only the Almighty Truth Love Life are.
• Relentlessly holding that "Guilty" does not apply to my actions because in the Almighty's eyes they PREVENT ME FROM BEING GUILTY OF NEGLECTING MY PENTAGON BROTHERS AND SISTERS. "Yes," I'll say, "I did exactly what you say to AVOID guilt."
• "... Sisters and brothers, if you arrest me, take portions of my life, whatever, I forgive you."
• "You know not what you do." see LEGAL-INJUSTICE SYSTEM

If any of my actions is for effect, manipulation, show, conflict, self protection, combat... it is less than nothing - IT IS INHMANE - exactly what is destroying us. I simply refuse to surrender my Humanity for the Inhumanity Empire demands of us. This is the entirety of our responsibility as: activists, mothers, brothers....

I AM NOT TO BE BAILED OUT.

I WILL NOT EVER CONTEST / COMBAT AND THEREBY ENTER HOSTILITY / INHUMANITY; NOT IN THIS CONSUMATELY, BLATANTLY CRIMINAL-INJUSTICE SYSTEM.

1. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE LIGHT MAINTAINED ON MY HEALTH, AND THEIR BEHAVIOR IF / WHEN I AM IMPRISONED. IF A LAWYER WANTED TO HELP WITH THIS, GREAT.
2. NOTHING CAN HURT ME. DON'T WORRY. YOU KNOW ME NOW. YOU KNOW THIS IS TRUE. LOVE YES, WORRY NO.

IT IS NEITHER MY BUSINESS NOR CONCERN WHAT THEY DO TO ME; ONLY WHAT I DO TO THEM IS MY RESPONSIBILITY AND OPPORTUNITY.

"YOU'RE IN JAIL? HOW CAN I HELP?"

Matt has visited me on vigil four times or so at the Sudan Embassy and now on Capitol Hill. The rare person of any age that gives you hope that all is not yet lost. Finishing college in the area. Interning with the DC homeless paper.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Brother Start,

What happened? I thought you were in jail at the sound of your blog...but I guess you were talking about possibly facing jail time in the future. My editor wants to know if we can use the picture of you in front of the Cannon Office Building with the sign (on your latest blog) and if so, whom do we credit it to? Let us know!Also on a personal level, I saw your list of needs. Let me know if there's anything I can do. I don't have a ton of resources myself, but I can get some if need be...like clothing or money. Let me know what you need and how to get it to you, brother.Take care and godspeed,

Matthew

--------------------------Start's Response--------------------------------------------

Brother Matt,

The warmth and urgency of your email (above) to me gladdens my heart, Matthew, as few things have and can. Bless you.

I need nothing. But we, WE need to wake up. You are on the way. I pray for your protection.

I don't know the legal system and intend as a matter of moral and Strategic necessity never to learn, but I just can't imagine that by the end of my arraignment tomorrow I'll not be in jail for contempt charges. I'll be as brotherly as you've ever seen me. That is why I'll be cited for contempt. I will not abandon my Humanity for their deadly dance of In-Humanity. That is our one and entire existential choice. The charge? If you follow the links on my blog (where you saw the picture of me) regarding Pentagon you'll see.

My only, MY ONLY PREFERENCE in the matter is that God use me well. This planet is Hell if something doesn't happen fast - on 20 fronts at once - US EMPIRE, Palestine, Global Warming, Congo, Iraq, Iran, Burma, China, Tibet................................... There is no time for
serial solutions.

The Photo? 100% ok. You would adore the fellow from Arkansas that took it. On that post with the photo I list two blogs - his is one - Josias X or something like that.

I NEED NOTHING. BUT GOD NEEDS EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING WE HAVE TO
GIVE NOW. I've begun close to 50 posts today at the Start Loving blog. I feel like I am being given final revelation. It is awesome, and awful responsibility. Matt, I see clearly now the Strategy for how the War for EVERYONE'S Humanity is to be waged. Part of it, a minuscule part includes me being 24/7 in front of Cannon throughout the winter - BUT ONLY IF A LOT OF PEOPLE MAKE IT HAPPEN. Otherwise I starve there.
[Extortion? GOD NO. Natural consequence of collective IRRESPONSIBILITY]. I'm being really, really infected with a Spirit, and everything depends on providing people the opportunity to
catch it through close contact. Sorry to be so long winded, but this is a really sacred opportunity. I'm taking it farther toward self-sacrifice than most have ever seen; like Jesus, so that MILLIONS MIGHT FOLLOW.
My Joy is uninterrupted, and infinite. Bliss? No. It is crucial that many (dozens, hundreds?) be given the opportunity to contribute to my pitifully unimportant campaign, only so they
might become infected through contact. Small donations ONLY is all I'll accept (through someone like you and the cc's?), come what may, and many would be required. Many must be given the chance. Food is by far the biggest thing, I expect. In
30-50 days God willing I'll be on death's door at Cannon 7/24 having been
on Water Only. But if then support in terms of pop-top soup / can / food supply is forthcoming I
can take about 1000 of the 1600 calories per day people need and stay at the threshold without passing over for the entire, brutally cold winter 24/7. At this point, with the world's / country's
situation being so dire, if this sort of trivial support doesn't materialize, it may be time for me to cross that threshold as a final chance for people to see our
murderous irresponsibility that is our doom. I don't mind at all, if that is the best way for me to serve.
From about mid November I'll be needing about 3 cans a day (or equivalent) to survive.
At a max donation of maybe 5 cans per person, that is a lot of people from mid November through April. What then? I can see that the conditions could demand me being there on death's door another year, or two. What's with the cans? Nothing religious; convenient and non-perishable; and can be stored in a multi-day quantity with me. If someone in a coordinated way wants to bring a PEASANT-CHEAP MEAL, whatever. It is neither my job in this to coordinate, nor to care about the outcome for me. My job is to maintain as pure an infection of this Spirit by playing my role as I am, and God willing, to infect the world? Or die trying. I've copied three people / entities that might have some interest (pure guess on my part) in working on some or all of this. The forth is that Daily Kos blogger on the post with my picture. T-- is his name. His blog is posted but I don't know his email, etc. He has expressed interest.

Matt, still there? Very long winded. :-)

As to the other items on the blog - clothing - etc. they all provide the same logic - opportunity for closer contact infection. As you can imagine, they are all needed. I could explain further over
time if someone wants to come by Cannon.

NO ONE MUST BE ENABLED TO FEEL THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING IMPORTANT BY GIVING $20 BUCKS (max) WORTH OF SOMETHING. This is not about me. This is not about them. This is about preventing Armageddon in military, economic, climate, moral, social forms that are multitudinous. This is about supporting ONE SOLDIER in what must fast become an army of millions worldwide, or it is all over. No, I have no illusion of making a difference, "succeeding."
But I also have no lack of clarity anymore of how this war is to be waged.

Matt, by tomorrow you owe it to yourself and those you love to struggle through the mass of Start
Loving posts for OCT and as much else as you can.

Matt, whereas I now know what millions must do, I'll never know what any individual should do. This email conveys not the slightest expectation or responsibility from me to you. You and God. You and Your Humanity.

Loving you extremely, your brother,

Start

VIGIL RISKS/NEEDS }}}}} 3/09/08 {{{{{

• Water
• Food
• Relief / coverage
• Participants / Campaign members
  
• Verizon Network paid up for laptop
• Funds for new signs
• Organizing
• Promotion

Risks:
Jail on "Obscenity" or other charges? They are not going to want these posters everpresent on the path to and from their various troughs. Interesting.
Dehydration
Starvation
Exposure

BLOGGING AND PREPARING FOR COURT. AFTER JAIL RETURNING.

More later, but until tomorrow, my mind is exploding with new insights as to how this War of Unarmed Peacemaking must be fought and have left Cannon to blog, prior to Friday's 9am court date for handing out Global Warming literature at the Pentagon. Strategically, morally I will not abandon my HUMANITY for their INHUMANITY [the entirety of our existential choice; the entirety of opportunity to Empyre Empire. I'll go and be there as a brother, but not as a plaintiff. They will see this as Contempt I am sure and how long the will jail me I don't know.

I eagerly plan to maintain the Hunger Strike in jail and to return immediately to Cannon on 24/7 Hunger Strike and Vigil.

A terrific fellow, hegemony57, that stopped by several nights - turned out he's been writing of the Hunger Strike on his Daily Kos diary. Great work. Quite helpful. Rich comments from his readers. Tomorrow or Friday night before returning to Cannon I hope to add some comments to theirs.

And another dear fellow has been doing some blogging: Jeremias X Goes To Washington (Part 2)

HUNGER STRIKE - 24/7 VIGIL RESUMES

I'm very pleased and excited. The Hunger Strike that Resumed Monday 10/1/07 returns tomorrow, Wednesday, to Capitol Hill, the Cannon Office Building 24/7. How? Hmmm. I don't know. I just know I'll do it as long as my pulse lasts / prison takes me away / our our Mother calls me elsewhere (which I don't expect for many, many months).

I have no expectation that the water / vitamin only Hunger Strike is to be carried on by me for less than 40-60 days, but I never know for sure what She will dictate from hour to hour. My best current guess is that I am not being flown into the mountain on this one, that it will better serve if upon hitting skeleton level I accept whatever modest amount of calories at that point (if offered) that will keep me on death's door, but on Cannon's Steps, for many months afterwards.

Risks to this plan:
* A dear friend's mom and dad are at potential medical crisis. Probably not, but if by tonight I hear that I am needed for coverage, my location will not be Cannon steps for several more days while I cover for her.
* Our Mother might call me differently tomorrow, tonight, next month.... But I don't think so.
* No sources of water, yet. Yes, of course my beloved sister Ellen wants to provide any and all daily support as she did for Darfur, but this is out of the question. My role is to ignite others, whatever the cost, not to keep burning out the same person or folks. I will adhere to this whatever the cost, I expect.
* The police at this location are an unknown to me. First night may be a trip to jail; I'll return after being let out which would probably mean prison.
* No sources of calories 40-60 days down the road.
* Monsoon or arctic weather (I don't envision leaving the steps for more than an hour per week or so).
* Jail / Prison: I have two upcoming court dates: 10/12 for Leafletting at the Pentagon; 11/14 for lying down on the White House sidewalk protesting nuclear bombs. I intend to go to the court hearings but beyond that morally I can neither fight within the law system ("do not go to law" Jesus rightly warns us), nor can I cooperate with their evil of trying me for actions that are Innocent before God. I'll be shocked if at least one does not result in jail/prison.

Immediate support that would be useful:
* Recharging and reloading of my MP3 with electrons and several of the dozens of books I have on DVD several times a week.
* Water every day or so.
* A couple of contractor grade large plastic bags (to keep my stuff dry).
* Quart/Liter size empty plastic bottles (you don't want to know), about one per day would be ideal.
* Funds. Currently I am at less than $1 as I have been for weeks. Currently I can't afford metro to court on the 12th in Alexandria and it is a very long, LONG walk. God's will be done.
* Some place for a shower and to do laundry every couple of weeks.
* Tooth brush.
* Duct tape.

Longer term support that would be useful:
* Extremely warm pants. I don't expect to use a sleeping bag. Wrong image. Too likely to get me removed for "camping."
* Extremely warm boots (funds toward). My boots have been warn out for months.
* Inexpensive down jacket to go under my present heavy jacket.
* THICK WOOL SOCKS.
* Used 1+ GB MP3 Player with a long lived battery capacity.
* MP3 PLAYER AUXILIARY USB RECHARGER (or funds toward $50). Radio Shack is just coming out with one. A brick like thing that an MP3 Player's USB connection can go into and get 2-4 charges.
* FUNDS TOWARD REPLACEMENT SIGN ($30 bucks will do for repair in a few more weeks; $200 will be needed when replacement time comes.

Note: Although I can never anticipate accurately on this one, I expect to have little or no means of outside communication on this trip - cell phone, blogs.... Remember the exciting "blackout" when the rocket crews were on the other side of the moon?