HA HA HA! What it’s like to be put on the spot!
May 14, 2008

This is from the Folk Alliance Conference. I was in the Go Girls room, hanging out with da girls, when Madalyn Sklar, founder and gah-roovy mamasita, calls me up to give some sort of an impromptu endorsement of Go Girls. Uh….I was totally unprepared, but decided to go for it. Here’s what happened:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKoj67CmB64

Love,
You know who

posted by Sara Hickman at 02:25 pm
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El Pasoans Against the Death Penalty Newsletter Clipping
May 10, 2008

“MUSIC FOR LIFE” CONCERT
Ida Berresheim, CSJ

A 40-mile an hour El Paso wind may have kept the group small; but about 70 appreciative listeners formed an enthusiastic audience on April 9, 2008, at Club 101 to hear Sara Hickman and Mayor John Cook give fine musical performances. The event, sponsored by El Pasoans Against the Death Penalty (EPADP) was one of twelve concerts being presented by Sara to support the work of the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (TCADP). Carmen Velazquez and Gloria Espinoza, who continue to suffer the consequences of murders of close family members, both gave testimony about these traumatic events. At the same time they spoke with deep conviction about their stance against the death penalty.

Bob Van Steenberg, a practiced master of ceremonies, and his wife, Jean, attend and assist with the organization of each concert for the twelve Texas cities. Bob’s brief presentation about the work of TCADP and his introductions to the performers and speakers helped reinforce the mission and activities of the two organizations. In an attempt to “spread the word” a table with literature, t-shirts and other sale items with messages against the death penalty drew the attention of many of the concert goers.

posted by Sara Hickman at 07:25 am
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BIG HEARTFELT THANK YOU
May 09, 2008

This is a HUGE thank you to my dear friend, margaret keys, for allowing us to film on her property and in her grace filled space…If you watch our new
video for “The One”, the environment in which I am weeping is margaret’s sacred bungalow, and she was so very kind to allow me to use it for the filming.

much love to margaret, always…
and to all my friends who never cease to amaze me with their love and support.
xo
sara

posted by Sara Hickman at 05:30 am
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Happy Mother’s Day: Lift Up Your Voices, Mothers Everywhere!
May 08, 2008

This Mother’s Day, Forget the French Toast
by Nicole Sotelo

“Arise, then, women of this day!” goes the Mother’s Day proclamation.

But this is not your wake-up call to french toast and flowers. Instead,
this phrase was the rallying cry for the first “Mother’s Day of Peace” back
in 1870—back before the day became laden with Hallmark and guilt.

Julia Ward Howe, the creator of Mother’s Day, pleaded with women to speak out
against war, not only for the sake of their sons, but for the sons of mothers
across the globe. Today, mothers must not only seek peace for their sons, but
for themselves.

Studies are showing that warfare brings significantly increased incidents of
rape and domestic violence. Soldiers are taught violence in war and
that violence is then turned upon innocent civilians in the country of
conflict, fellow soldiers during wartime, or it returns home in the form of
spousal and child abuse. Think the war is taking place thousands of miles away?
Think again. Wartime violence is happening in living rooms across the country.

Americans may remember the four women murdered by their military husbands
within a six-week period at Fort Bragg army base in North Carolina near
the beginning of the Afghanistan invasion. While this caught the media’s eye for
a brief time, the violence at the hands of military personnel continues to rise.

A 2003 study financed by the Department of Defense found that nearly
one-third of female veterans who sought health care through the Veterans
Affairs reported that during their military service they experienced rape or
attempted rape. Another set of figures from 2004 and 2005 showed a 40%
increase in the number of sexual assaults reported by female soldiers—which
may mean women feel safer in reporting the attacks or that the numbers are
on the rise.

“60 Minutes” did research in the 1990s that found that domestic violence was
five times more common in U.S. military families than civilian families. And
that was during “peace time.” During war, the numbers become far more
gruesome. During the Rwandan genocide, UNICEF estimates 150,000 women
were raped in the 100 days of conflict. Today, the remnants of that violence
have ventured into the Congo and 27,000 sexual assaults were reported there
by the United Nations — in just one year, in just one province.

So, arise, then, women of this day! Forget the french toast. Forget the
flowers. Arise and speak out against war. Spend this Mother’s Day writing
letters, calling congress, or finding another way to help stop the war. It
is just a few hours of your life. And you might just end up saving one.

posted by Sara Hickman at 02:30 pm
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Update on the Imam
May 06, 2008

This is an update on a meeting that was supposed to take place on behalf of the Imam’s situation, sent from one of his represenatives. For those of you wanting to be kept abreast of everything, here is the latest info:

The meeting did not take place last week as ICE’s represenative was out of
the office. It is scheduled for Wednesday now. The letters have been
very useful. There was one letter to be signed by a lot of people. Is this
ready now?

Please convey our appreciation to the AAIM board for all their
assistance. I believe it can make a critical difference.

I will keep you posted as soon as we have some developments. We
are pressing from all angles to get some answers this week. If not then we need to
go full blast with a national media campaign the following week.

I also await a response form Homeland Security in Washington.

Hasnain

posted by Sara Hickman at 08:25 am
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ZIPPITY ZAPPITY song
May 05, 2008

Hi All

You can download a spot I did with Tequila Mockingbird for the great state of Texas…It is running nationally, so I hope you get to hear it soon:

http://www.traveltex.com/ads/allads.aspx

I did the ZIPPITY one….

It is such a happy, fun spot….Enjoy!

Love,
Sara

posted by Sara Hickman at 03:39 pm
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Mayor John Cook of El Paso Joins Me on the Music for Life Tour and Challenges Other Texas Mayors!
May 02, 2008

Here is the mayor of El Paso. His name is John Cook. He came out in support of our Music for Life tour when we were in El Paso, performed, allowed me to interview him for my documentary, and has since contacted us with the desire to finish out the entire tour! Five more dates!!!

He wants to challenge all other Texas mayors to come out in support of abolishing the death penalty, or at least match his level of participation by attending one of the events.

It takes a lot of courage to speak up nowadays, but even more so to be a politician who sticks to his core beliefs and tries to speak out, whether the issue is popular or not.

posted by Sara Hickman at 06:30 pm
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From Hasnain Walji: A Letter of Gratitude and Request for Support for Safdar Razi
May 01, 2008

Dear Friends,

Salaam and Peace.

I would like to thank each one of you for the efforts and assistance in our attempts to seek Shaikh Safdar Razi’s release from detention.
Your support and passionate response to his plight is a measure of the love and respect you hold for him.

Tomorrow, May 2, Shaikh Safdar will have been detained for one full month. A month where a justice and freedom loving person,
like Shaikh Safdar, is yet to receive justice and freedom. A month when his wife and three children have missed him coming home.
A month when the eager congregation at the IILM center continues to miss his sermons and guidance. A month when his friends
from different faiths have missed his affable and understanding company. A month of wasted talent, captive in a detention center
in Heskell, when our nation could use more clerics like Safdar Razi.

Like many of us, Shaikh Safdar came to this great land with a promise of “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. But in the past
month, his life is devoid of liberty and happiness. Yet, when I saw him at Heskell 10 days ago, his spirit was unbroken and his faith
stronger than ever. His prime concern was for his family.

All of us who have been touched by him, continue to work relentlessly for his release. We have left no stone unturned, no door
un-knocked and no channel unused to find out – why? why? why?

Regrettably, there is a deafening silence from the authorities who hold him, as to the real reason for his detention. My recent visit
to present his case to the authorities in Washington DC has elicited no response - yet.

What next is a question we all need to ask. Surely, we can not allow another 30 days to go by, as we continue to seek the answer
to the question – why is such a positive, civically engaged and well meaning cleric being held so? What has he done to deserve this treatment?

I urge you all to redouble your efforts to bring his plight to the highest office of the great State of Texas as well as the highest office of the Nation
to seek an early resolution to his plight. Please feel free to contact the undersigned if you need to have further information or have any further suggestions
to help the campaign for Shaikh Safdar’s release.

Sincerely,

Hasnain Walji, Ph.D.
Director of Religious affairs
Institute of Islamic Learning in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex
(ILM)

posted by Sara Hickman at 07:42 pm
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More on why the Imam is a peace filled man

From Lynda Lieberman Baker, who sits on the AAIM Board as a Jewish woman:

He has welcomed Jewish people to his congregation and visited our congregation where he has taught a class
about Islam to us and also graciously welcomed our rabbi to teach about Judaism to his congregation.
We have broken bread together, shared our hearts and faiths with one another.
He has been nothing but kind and open, He is an example for all faiths about building bridges…
I have heard stories of his integrity demonstrated on his service on the AAIM board.
His detention is a travesty

Lynda Lieberman Baker

posted by Sara Hickman at 07:38 pm
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One word

My friend, Livvy, sent this. You’ll like this site…take a breather in the morning, and enter this sweet site.
Everyday they have one word, a new word daily, and you write for a minute about that word and other people can read it.
I love it…you will, too…Starts your day off creatively, lovingly…..

Sara

http://oneword.com/

posted by Sara Hickman at 08:51 am
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