My name is Trent Yaconelli and I am with a small unsigned rock band called Five A.M. out of the San Francisco area. I have never done a post before. I am also a political junky and follow Daily Kos religiously and have not seen much if anything on Father Vitale. Father Vitale is a 75 year old priest (was in the military at one time) who is trying to stop torture in this country by protesting various military bases that TEACH torture here in America. He was arrested for praying on the military base Fort Huachuca and trying to deliver a message of peace to the army commander. You can find info on his story here, here and here.
Five A.M.herehere.here,Pace e Bene Father Vitale's organization
I am not a religious man nor a catholic. I am just a guy in a small unknown rock band but I was so moved by his story and so angry that our so called religious President is arresting priests that my band made an anti violence video to bring attention to Pace e Bene Father Vitale's organization as well as featuring them at our shows, attaching them to our website and helping them with a web and marketing campaign.
I am tired of our Political leaders being supported by people because they say the "love Jesus" or "Jesus is their favorite Philosopher" and yet THEIR ACTIONS show the absolute opposite....greed, violence, disregard for the poor, uncompassionate...etc. I think this story of the Bush Administration arresting a Priest is the perfect example of the B.S. that the Christian right has been preaching througout our country.
I have met with members of Pace e Bene because I don't understand why their message and Father V's story is not getting out there. Seems like it could be a big story when we have a religious right proclaiming that they, the republicans and the President have God on their side and yet they torture and arrest priests who protest torture. By the way many of the people I met with at Pace are ex-military.
The Video: can be found here and just got finished on Dec 31st. It stars contriversial star Ice T, Eddie Furlong, and Rumor willis. It shows a young man carrying the weight of all the violence we do to each other through the New York streets as a "God" like figure watches on. This video was funded by a man who came upon the band and believed in the music and then was also moved by the story of Father V. As he and I had coffee one day and I told him the story he said, "we have to do something about this. Lets help these guys get there message out." The band took ourselves out of the video so more time could be spent on the images and story line.
The point is.....just like everyone else here at Daily Kos....I am just a guy who is frustrated with things and I am trying to do something about it. If people could could just click on the video and pass it along or go to Pace e Bene's website and help set up some training sessions in your area I think we could start changing the way we view violence and its effect on our country.
By the way: We are an Unsigned band with no corporate backing or angel. We are so far in debt it's ridiculous but we believe in this message and feel it is time music started to try and make a difference again.
Thanks for your time.
Trent Yaconelli
www.fiveam.com
blog: www.morphinelife.com
video: http://www.youtube.com/...
Five A.M.herehere.here,Pace e Bene Father Vitale's organization