Judging from the number of people, like myself, who have spoken out across the country (and in many other countries) who are now under attack for speaking out against the Israeli atrocities in Gaza it becomes very obvious that all of this was well planned way in advance.
Just as the Israelis intentionally singled out for attack Palestinian children and their mothers in Gaza... then denied they were doing this and then hired a team of lawyers to defend their leaders and soldiers against charges of crimes against humanity... so to are Israel and its supporters waging the same kind of political attacks... dirty, racist letters are sent out to people, then there is denial of these dirty deeds.
Any thinking person can see from reading these "comments" posted on the "Daily Kos" that there is a well coordinated campaign of hate against me personally... but, this is multiplied many fold across this country and across the world in the same kind of well orchestrated campaign that targets individuals.
You have to hand it to Israel and its backers, among whom are the Democrats and Republican Parties, they could have taught Hitler a thing or two about how to get away with carrying out a pogrom in full view of the world and then instigating a campaign of hate against those speaking out in solidarity with the victims of their dirty deeds.
The American people have been had in more ways than one by this reactionary, war mongering Israeli government... first Democrats and Republicans subsidize Israel's atrocities against the Palestinian people using our hard-earned tax-dollars... and now our democracy is being subverted by these hate-mongers to boot... talk about "being had"... this is "being had."
These worthless politicians and their political hacks are now going to give Israel another thirty-billion dollars to finance who knows how many more pogroms against the Palestinian people and these same politicians tell us--- those of us paying the bill--- that there is no money for things like public education and socialized health care.
My response to all of this is posted at the very bottom--- just read how these "comments" seethe with hate; and then after they get done spewing their vicious hate, in comes a party hack to deny Brian Melendez ever sent me the letter--- quite the approach to waging a hate campaign:
head of MNDFL: "take your tent to Gaza"
by llama taboot
Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 09:07:44 PM PST
The head of the MN DFL tells an organizer to "give gaza a rest", stop worrying about Iraq, health care, or labor issues, and just enjoy our victory in electing Obama, and then asks him to "take his tent elsewhere." Is this acceptable behavior from one of our state leaders?
llama taboot's diary :: ::
Alan Maki has been a longtime activist and organizer in Minnesota, and is currently the Director of Organizing for the Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Committee.
I would like to quote, in its entirety, an email sent to him today by Mr. Brian Melendez, the head of the MN DFL.
Mr. Maki,
Enough already.
Give Gaza a rest. Just let us enjoy our victory in electing Barack Obama.
You take up a cause and you try to push that cause down our throats. What don't you understand? We don't care about your diatribes about Gaza.
You started out demanding justice for casino workers claiming a little smoke is harmful to their health. Let them get another job if they don't like the opportunity we have given them. With you it is always demanding. Your list of demands is never ending.
You started with your casino workers. From there you went to demanding single-payer health care and this has turned into your demand for socialized health care because we didn't give you and your casino workers single-payer as soon as you demanded it.
You harp endlessly about Iraq.
Now you have taken up the cause of Palestinians and you are bashing our best friend and ally, Israel.
No, you aren't satisfied with taking up one of your issues at a time. Now you put them all together like they are related in some way and shove then all down our throats.
We are getting fed up with you. We have a big tent. Apparently our tent is not big enough for you and all your causes. Please pack up your tent and move elsewhere. Might I suggest you take your tent to Gaza.
Just leave us alone and give President Obama a chance.
Brian Melendez,Chair, MNDFL
You can find a link to this here:
alan maki's peace and social justice blog
Might I suggest to the esteemed head of the DFL that in fact the slaughter in Gaza, the "endless harping about Iraq", workers' rights and debates about health care and the socialization of health care are, in fact, issues for progressives to take a stand on.
I hope against hope that this email is a hoax or that Brian Melendez left his email password in Rush Limbaugh's trashcan on accident. I would hope that the head of the MNDFL would not write such ludicrous statements and suggest someone "takes their tent to Gaza."
Want to tell Mr. Melendez how you feel about his email?
bmelendez@faegre.com
bmelendez@dfl.org
office: 612-766-7309
(I'm not publishing any private information here folks, that is all on the web under his work page and the DFL page)
Tags: MN DFL, Gaza, Brian Melendez, Big Tent (all tags) :: Previous Tag Versions
Permalink | 25 comments
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Daily Kos Help
· first diary - tipjar/flamejar (9+ / 0-)
Recommended by:
mattman, bjornmmcc, capelza, kaliope, ferallike, jimbobb, rainmanjr, Milawe, Conure
~nt~
by llama taboot on Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 09:08:34 PM PST
· Alan MAKI and he's talking about I/P? I think (2+ / 0-)
Recommended by:
burrow owl, harrylimelives
you've been hoaxed by Israeli Communist Party
"I gotta rec that sh*t, even though it is completely tasteless and rude."
by DemocraticLuntz on Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 09:12:30 PM PST
· errr....no (2+ / 0-)
Recommended by:
mattman, jimbobb
http://alanmaki.blogspot.com/
by llama taboot on Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 09:18:55 PM PST
o And again, I'm guessing this persona was (6+ / 0-)
Recommended by:
burrow owl, theran, harrylimelives, Mia Dolan, Corwin Weber, charliehall
created by the Israeli Communist Party in conjunction with the Lizard People, who are known to be active in Northern Minnesota.
"I gotta rec that sh*t, even though it is completely tasteless and rude."
by DemocraticLuntz on Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 09:20:10 PM PST
[ Parent ]
§ perhaps (0+ / 0-)
just go back to david icke's site if you are utterly unconcerned that the chair of one of our state parties would poopoo Gaza and insult a labor organizer in the name of celebrating "our victory"?
(and in general behave completely unprofessionally - even if someone is an insulting crank - I don't have the original email sent by Mr. Maki that this was a response to - one would expect those that are the public face of the Dems to behave with some common decorum)
confused as to whether you actually think this is not worth talking about or i'm missing some late night surrealist humor......
by llama taboot on Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 09:27:54 PM PST
[ Parent ]
§ Are you seriously unaware that the Lizard People (4+ / 0-)
Recommended by:
harrylimelives, Mia Dolan, charliehall, lkwdB
are active in Northern Minnesota?
"I gotta rec that sh*t, even though it is completely tasteless and rude."
by DemocraticLuntz on Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 09:29:19 PM PST
[ Parent ]
§ well.... (0+ / 0-)
they did get at least one vote
by llama taboot on Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 09:32:50 PM PST
[ Parent ]
· I will call tomorrow (1+ / 0-)
Recommended by:
sistersilverwolf
and see if he owns up to it. If he does, he should find another job.
Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity. Horace Mann (and btw, the bike in kayakbiker is a bicycle)
by Kayakbiker on Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 09:26:54 PM PST
· Nutjob alert (0+ / 0-)
Brian Melendez is an outstanding party chair. I seriously doubt that if this email came from him, but if it did, this Maki guy must have been seriously harassing him.
This is from Maki's blog
Because of my outspoken views for peace and social justice I am now the target of the most vicious restraining order ever issued in Minnesota since the days of Joe McCarthy's anti-communist witch-hunts that robbed the working people of Minnesota of its strongest voices and best fighters for peace and social justice. This witch-hunt now involves Homeland Security Forces who not only viciously attacked me as they ran roughshod over my Constitutional Rights... but also attacked my dog and made my dog suffer.
This is a Democratic website and Maki isn't a Democrat. Take this crap somewhere else.
by Mia Dolan on Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 09:32:25 PM PST
o In Soviet Minnesota, dog attack YOU!!!! (2+ / 0-)
Recommended by:
theran, Mia Dolan
"I gotta rec that sh*t, even though it is completely tasteless and rude."
by DemocraticLuntz on Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 09:36:27 PM PST
[ Parent ]
o errr.... (0+ / 0-)
Actually he is an elected member of the DFL State Central Committee --
perhaps a cranky socialist, but an elected member of the Dems
and I fail to see, even as a response to harassing emails from a socialist, a freeper, or ralph nader himself -- how Mr. Melendez's response would be appropriate.
by llama taboot on Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 09:40:50 PM PST
[ Parent ]
§ We all fail to see it (2+ / 0-)
Recommended by:
burrow owl, Mia Dolan
because you have not been able to provide any context to the discussion. Exactly how much crap did Melendez take from Maki before he went off?
And yes it matters, people do have limits.
by 1918 on Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 09:45:04 PM PST
[ Parent ]
§ I don't know... (0+ / 0-)
I was forwarded this from the Jews for the End of the Occupation listserv and it has started popping up on various MN activist blogs.
I would welcome more backstory, explanation, or hopefully - outright refutation
Of course it sounds to me like Mr. Maki is a cranky communist (though probably nice to grab a cup of coffee and discuss social theory with) - still not appropriate for a State Party chair to write - in an email no less, which can shoot around the tubes in a second or two - such unprofessional and unprogressive stuff IMHO
by llama taboot on Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 09:50:10 PM PST
[ Parent ]
§ Whats your email address? (2+ / 0-)
Recommended by:
DemocraticLuntz, Mia Dolan
I just got an email authorizing me to accept fifty billion bucks from the prince of Nigeria,it all sounded very interesting ,definitely diary worthy imho.
The monkey's dead, the show's over ... sue ya
by lkwdB on Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 10:41:05 PM PST
[ Parent ]
§ Well (1+ / 0-)
Recommended by:
harrylimelives
If Melendez sent this email, this guy must really have made himself a pain in the ass. Melendez is a great party chair and Maki is a piece of garbage - a liar, a smear artist, and most certainly not a Democrat. It is a sad state of affairs if this guy got elected to the Central committee.
Go troll somewhere else.
by Mia Dolan on Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 09:53:39 PM PST
[ Parent ]
§ not trolling (0+ / 0-)
just passing on an email that is making its rounds around both the lefty Jew and MN activist communities.
Do you know this guy personally, or have you just decided that because you like Melendez and he doesn't like him, he must be trash?
Like I said, I don't care if the guy is the trolliest troll on the planet, 1) it's not professional behavior and 2) workers rights, the I/P conflict, and healthcare are all legitimate issues for progressive Dems to discuss and take stands on - even if by your standards this Maki fellow isn't one of them.
I deal with pains-in-the-ass every day in my job, many of whom are downright obnoxious, doesn't mean I can suddenly snap and dump my coffee over their head.
by llama taboot on Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 10:02:30 PM PST
[ Parent ]
§ No (1+ / 0-)
Recommended by:
harrylimelives
I had never heard of Maki until I read your diary, but I formed an opinion after reading his blogs. The outrage shouldn't be Melendez's email, but that a piece of shit like Maki has an official role with the DFL.
Of course you haven't bothered to read what Maki is all about or tried to find out what the backstory is. And the problem clearly isn't the issues, but the way Maki has presented them. Clearly, though, the whole story and even truth is not something you are interested in. You are a troll and a bottom feeder.
by Mia Dolan on Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 10:11:13 PM PST
[ Parent ]
§ not about whether Maki is a jerk or a crank (1+ / 0-)
Recommended by:
lysias
like I said, I could care less about Maki, only about whether the email from Melendez is true or not.
It's either true, in which case it is a completely unprofessional slip at best, or it's not. I suspect we will find out sometime tomorrow since it has already shown up in my inbox from three local listservs.
--
You seem awfully fired up for no particular reason that there is a socialist in the DFL - in which case you might want to learn a little bit about what a large part of the "farmer-labor" part of the DFL was - or, based on your past comments, maybe the reference to I/P set you off, or perhaps you just really really like Melendez...
not sure, but there's really no reason to be attacking me here.
by llama taboot on Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 10:28:39 PM PST
[ Parent ]
§ No (0+ / 0-)
I am attacking you because you are a sleazy fucking liar. There is nothing in Melendez's email to suggest that Gaza isn't an appropriate topic of discussion - clearly the problem is that Maki was beating it to death. The extent that the email is unprofessional depends on the context, which is completely absent from your diary.
And my problem isn't with the liberal elements of the DFL. Maki is a liar and a nutjob who is not really even a Democrat.
Do you know what the fallout is going to be from this? Nothing. Because Maki is a douchebag for sending around this email. And because only scumbags like yourself care.
Why don't you try the Drudge report, troll.
by Mia Dolan on Fri Jan 23, 2009 at 07:43:29 AM PST
[ Parent ]
§ not very nice Mia (0+ / 1-)
Hidden by:
Mia Dolan
referring to Israel as our "best friend" pretty much lets it be known that Mr. Melendez doesn't think it is a Democratic duty to support a sane peace process.
You are unhinged, and represent the worst of this site, and why I held off posting here so long. A review of your comment history shows a lot of LOLs and You Are Stupids, without a lot of substance. Maybe it is you that should o back to the Drudge Report.
by llama taboot on Fri Jan 23, 2009 at 11:58:28 AM PST
[ Parent ]
§ LOL (0+ / 0-)
Lets recap. This asshole harasses Melendez until Melendez goes off on him in an email. Then you post the that email on a blog without any context. What a total douchebag move. Did you think anyone would care? What a fucking joke. This was so lame that the conservative blogs - the only ones who might be interested in your bottom feeding tactics - didn't care either.
Melendez is a great party chair. The fact you think calling Israel our best friend means he doesn't care about peace just shows what a delusional loser you are.
by Mia Dolan on Fri Jan 23, 2009 at 05:42:49 PM PST
[ Parent ]
· There's gotta be a back story here (4+ / 0-)
Recommended by:
burrow owl, DemocraticLuntz, Mia Dolan, charliehall
the Email seems very unprofessional, the maki snips here seem tin foily...
I don;t think this is the forum for what seems to be a bit of personal stupidity (probably on both parties if this isn't a put on.
"you have the right to your own opinion. You do not have the right to your own facts" -Daniel Patrick Moynihan
by SteveP on Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 09:44:45 PM PST
· I don't think so (0+ / 0-)
I hope against hope that this email is a hoax or that Brian Melendez left his email password in Rush Limbaugh's trashcan on accident.
Melendez's email sounds pretty much like every Dem Party honcho I've ever known.
Stealth fighting radical!
by ActivistGuy on Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 11:43:29 PM PST
· Both Franken and Coleman appeared at a pro-Israel (0+ / 0-)
rally in MN at the height of the Gaza fighting.
The influence of the [executive] has increased, is increasing, and ought to be diminished.
by lysias on Fri Jan 23, 2009 at 07:03:23 AM PST
· Statement from the Minnesota DFL Party (0+ / 0-)
The message above that supposedly came from Minnesota DFL Party Chair Brian Melendez is fictitious. Chair Melendez had no knowledge of it until a recipient called it to our attention. It does not reflect his views.
Please feel free to contact me via email at efought@dfl.org should you need more information.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Eric Fought
Associate Communications Director
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
by efought on Sat Jan 24, 2009 at 09:47:07 AM PST
Permalink | 25 comments
My response:
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Brian Melendez sends me an e-mail and now has a person on his staff deny that he sent it...
Thursday, January 22, 2009
An e-mail from Brian Melendez the head of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party.
Mr. Melendez who is the head of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party sent me this e-mail:
Mr. Maki,
Enough already.
Give Gaza a rest. Just let us enjoy our victory in electing Barack Obama.
You take up a cause and you try to push that cause down our throats. What don't you understand? We don't care about your diatribes about Gaza.
You started out demanding justice for casino workers claiming a little smoke is harmful to their health. Let them get another job if they don't like the opportunity we have given them. With you it is always demanding. Your list of demands is never ending.
You started with your casino workers. From there you went to demanding single-payer health care and this has turned into your demand for socialized health care because we didn't give you and your casino workers single-payer as soon as you demanded it.
You harp endlessly about Iraq.
Now you have taken up the cause of Palestinians and you are bashing our best friend and ally, Israel.
No, you aren't satisfied with taking up one of your issues at a time. Now you put them all together like they are related in some way and shove then all down our throats.
We are getting fed up with you. We have a big tent. Apparently our tent is not big enough for you and all your causes. Please pack up your tent and move elsewhere. Might I suggest you take your tent to Gaza.
Just leave us alone and give President Obama a chance.
Brian Melendez,Chair, MNDFL
My response:
Mr. Melendez,
Too many "causes: for you eh?
Well, how many different promises does the Democratic Party make to voters to get elected, which you conveniently ignore once elected.
For your information, all the "causes" I am involved in are related. These problems, you call them "causes," all stem from this rotten capitalist system.
Might I suggest that you move on... perhaps find yourself a job working in one of your beloved smoke-filled casinos.
Alan L. Maki
Director of Organizing,
Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council
Now the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party is denying this e-mail came from Brian Melendez but Melendez is silent; why?
Statement from the Minnesota DFL Party
The message above that supposedly came from Minnesota DFL Party Chair Brian Melendez is fictitious. Chair Melendez had no knowledge of it until a recipient called it to our attention. It does not reflect his views.
Please feel free to contact me via email at efought@dfl.org should you need more information.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Eric Fought
Associate Communications Director
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
Well, if this is not the position of Brian Melendez as he stated his position in this e-mail to me, then, what are Melendez' position and the MNDFL's positions on the issues in question?
In fact, Brian Melendez has been engaged in a long-running series of attacks on me well documented even in the minutes of the DFL State Central Committee and other DFL memos and statements.
In fact, Melendez took it upon himself to lead what can only be described as a hate campaign against me which included harassing my Internet Service Provider and successfully got Yahoo to disable several of my e-mail accounts because I was "spamming." Melendez was fully aware at the time that not one thing I sent out was "spam."
Time and time again Melendez has targeted me with his arrogant and vicious attacks on me and then he turns around and claims, through his party hacks, he was not involved. I am not the only person Melendez plays these types of games with. This is the kind of politics Melendez thinks is so "cute."
This is all very easy and simple to clear up... the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party merely has to issue a statement as to where it stands on each of the issues Melendez brought forward in his letter to me.
Either Melendez was reflecting the official positions of the Minnesota DFL or he wasn't.
No one needs to speculate about anything... it is just as easy for the Minnesota DFL to simply state its positions on these issues as it is for Melendez to deny through another party hack that these are his positions.
So to Brian Melendez and the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party hacks my response to them is very simple: State your positions.
For the record; I would encourage Brian Melendez to make public everything referencing me that has been posted on the Minnesota DFL State Central Committee List Serve from which I was banned when I was an elected member of the MNDFL SCC for simply suggesting that there take place a discussion concerning Israel's behavior when it conducted its killing spree and rampage in Lebanon for the purpose of establishing a clear MNDFL position regarding U.S. military support to Israel. Melendez refused to place the issue for discussion at the State Central Committee meeting.
We have seen the same behavior towards many other people as we now see from Melendez towards me; time and time again over many years when the question of Israel comes up in the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party.
Again, no one wants to hear from a Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party hack the denial of Melendez' and the DFL's positions; we want to know what those positions are on the issues in question and it was to find out these answers that I publicly posted the letter from Brian Melendez clearly indicating the e-mail was to me... in fact, the e-mail is to all Minnesotans who now want to hear Melendez' positions on these issues... starting with the Israeli pogrom in Gaza.
It is interesting to me that Brian Melendez has conveniently ignored taking any firm stand on these issues and then chooses to play these kinds of games with people.
These issues clearly are easy to provide positions on... had the DFL had clear positions on these issues there would not be all this confusion now... very convenient for a person like Melendez who thinks he can say whatever he wants to someone and then hide behind the position, "This is not my position or the DFL's position."
Come on Brian, don't deny these are your positions... tell us what your positions are on these issues.
I am simply the wrong person for you to try "denying" you sent this e-mail to since there is now a long, long list of such e-mails to me and about me from you to many other people besides me; all written along similar lines in a similar bigoted vein and temper. Not to mention your similar person to person and phone calls and other e-mails you have made to many other people across the state and across the country about me.
Posted by Alan L. Maki at 6:24 PM
