Former Democratic Georgia Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney - who has since run for president on the Green Party ticket - is on her way to the Gaza Strip. She is not taking the recent Israeli attacks lightly, and she is taking some friends with her, including an Al Jazeera reporter who was once held in the prison at Guantanamo Bay.
This is being coordinated through the Free Gaza organization, which is holding a press conference tomorrow (they also have a newsletter about it here). Their press release about the subject is below the fold.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday 28th December 2008
For more information, contact.
(Gaza) Ewa Jasiewicz, +970 598 700 497 / freelance@mailworks.org
(Cyprus) Eliza Ernshire, +357 99 081 767/ eliza.ernshire@gmail.com
(U.S.) Ramzi Kysia, +1 703 994 5422/ rrkysia@yahoo.com
(Larnaca, Cyprus) The Free Gaza movement will hold a press conference at 16:30, Monday, December 29 at the port in Larnaca. The organization is sending in the DIGNITY on an emergency mission of mercy to Gaza loaded with three to four tons of urgently needed medical supplies.
On board are four physicians, including Dr. Elena Theoharous, a surgeon and Member of Parliament in Cyprus. Also going are The Hon. Cynthia McKinney, former U.S. Congresswoman and Green Party presidential candidate, and Sami al-Hajj, an Al Jazeera reporter and former detainee at Guantanamo.
Dr Khaled from the Shifa hospital ICU in Gaza City told us on Saturday that the majority of cases are critical shrapnel wounds from Israeli gunboats and helicopters, with an approximate 80% who will not survive.
The medical supply list includes bandages, splints and rubber gloves, items that any medical community should have access to, but, because of Israel's policies of collective punishment, these supplies are not available.
Eliza Ernshire, one of the Free Gaza organizers says, "We have calls for surgeons willing to go into Gaza and work there throughout this crisis. The doctors inside are exhausted and unable to cope with the number of wounded. We will do our best to send in the DIGNITY as often as we can over the next few weeks, bringing in physicians and medical supplies.
The media is welcome to come to the port at 16:30 to interview the passengers.
While sending surgeons and medical supplies to Gaza is admirable, this will surely be a controversial act. It is undermining Israel's blockade and the public figures involved with it are not going to do anything to calm a controversy. McKinney is actively anti-Zionist and anything having to do with Al Jazeera is dismissed as terrorism-related by many in America.
Not to mention, McKinney's father blamed her loss of her Congressional seat on "J-E-W-S."
Whatever anyone else thinks, Roseanne Barr is once again backing Cynthia McKinney's actions (although probably cheapening them and hurting any chances of a good public reception):
Cynthia Mckinney is a goddess of unparalleled intelligence and remarkable courage! God-energy go with her today as she joins those who bring doctors and medicine to the suffering of gaza. God-thought protect those who are putting their lives on the line to help the victims of nazi aggression. God-love touch the hearts of the soldiers of Israel to disobey their leaders! israeli troops! You must refuse to be nazis! refuse and save the world and your people!!
What do YOU think about all this?
(Thanks to paulie of IPR for the story.)
UPDATE (for anyone still keeping track): I posted this comment and I think everyone should read it:
That doesn't mean [the fact that she's a bit of a nut and makes a fool of herself sometimes] everything she says or believes is ludicrous. That's my problem with all this McKinney bashing - even though she might be a bit anti-intellectual and out there, there are some good things that she's done and she should be respected for them. Simply trashing her whenever her name comes up isn't fair.
I will have another diary with more details up later today hopefully.
SECOND UPDATE: The new diary is posted.