Joan Wile is a grandmother of 5 who founded Grandmothers Against the War over 6 years ago. Among their many activities, they were arrested and jailed when they tried to enlist at the Times Square recruiting center, in Oct., 2005, which became a world-wide story overnight. They've traveled to Europe and to Washington to speak, rally, lobby and perform. They hold vigils, demonstrations, protests, all sorts of actions, and do shows written mostly by Wile, who is an ASCAP lyricist and composer with a long career as a singer in cabarets, recording studios, on movie sound tracks, and on records. Wile has written at least a thousand jingles, songs, film songs, as well as a number of cabaret acts, and 8 musicals, 5 of which were produced off- and off-off Broadway. Wile's first book was published on April 29, 2008, by Citadel Press, entitled "Grandmothers Against the War: Getting off Our Fannies and Standing up for Peace."
Peace Grannies, Moms and Vets Diss NBC's New Reality Rah Rah War Show, "Stars Earn Stripes"
In a remarkable display of unity, a number of New York peace groups joined together in just a few days to plan and carry out a protest at NBC headquarters in Manhattan regarding the debut of the new reality show, "Stars Earn Stripes." The program is an abomination that touts war as ...
We can feel the so-called "right to lifers" nipping at our heels. Legislators, mostly male, are trying to take us back to the days of deadly back alley abortions. In an effort to contribute to the struggle to keep them legal, I offer here the story of my own abortion at a time when they were ...
Pillow Talk with Mitt and Anne ...a sketch by Joan Wile
SCENE: Hotel bedroom, on the campaign trail. MITT and his wife, ANNE, are talking. MITT: How in hell am I going to stop this infernal yapping about our dog riding on top of the car? ANNE: Mitt, you mustn't swear -- you know the Church forbids it. MITT: What the hell do I ...
Zuccotti Park After the Police Raid
Zucotti Park is greatly changed from the bustling, overflowing, colorful encampment it was only a week ago when I was there. All the tarps, tents, flags, banners, food tables, various outreach tents with busy computers and phones, are gone. There are fewer people there. But, it IS still there, and still ...
Peace Granny Cautiously Optimistic at Iraq War's End
The news hit me like an electric shock. Was this for real? I stared at the words on the TV screen in disbelief -- PRESIDENT OBAMA SAYS ALL U.S. TROOPS IN IRAQ WILL BE HOME BY THE END OF THE YEAR. That meant that 41,000 troops will be leaving Iraq. This ...
Police Back Off from Grandmothers as the Granny Peace Brigade Occupies Lincoln Center
Culture seekers streaming through Lincoln Center Tuesday evening, Oct. 18, were undoubtedly surprised to see a tableau not usually seen at the arts complex. Approximately 60 members of the Granny Peace Brigade and their followers formed a semi-circle around the fountain located in the midst of the plaza surrounded by ...
The Truth About Congressman Rangel's Visit to 'Occupy Wall Street'
There are so many people at Zucotti Park, the locale for the New York City Occupy Wall Streeters, that it's hard for the many media journalists there to keep track of what's happening. It was particularly difficult on Saturday, Oct. 1, when thousands descended on the little space to gather for ...
Afghan Peace Youths Feel Hopeless
On Sunday, Aug. 21, I had the privilege of speaking via conference call with several young people from the Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers. It was the occasion of what they have termed the "Global Day of Listening," during which the kids spoke with supporters and sympathizers all over the world ...
Wake Up, America! Your House Is on Fire!
What else do we need to make it clearThat Doomsday is getting perilously nearOur safety net is torn to shredsTax breaks are given to corporate headsWhile we on the bottom and in the middleLose more each day while the leaders fiddleWe're making war all over the planetThough our citizens daily ...
Granny Has Already Been Screwed by the Government for Two Years
Don't kid yourselves, older people, that if there are to be no Social Security cuts resulting from the current debt crisis debacle, we can thank our government for its kindness. The fact is, we, among the most vulnerable and needy citizens of all, have seen our benefits systematically cut back ...
DAILY DOGGEREL RE CURRENT EVENTS
Joan Wile, founder of Grandmothers Against the War, and author, "Grandmothers Against the War: Getting Off Our Fannies and Standing Up for Peace" (Citadel Press, '08), as well as an award-winning ASCAP lyricist and composer, recently launched "Daily Doggerel Re Current Events" online. Joan is writing a short poem (observing ...
The day was downcast, but the wonderful high school seniors from Brooklyn Collaborative School standing in the rain on Fifth Avenue were not. You could say they were upcast. They were living proof that daring and principled teachers could raise their students' consciousness about the material and political costs of ...
DONALD TRUMP, I'VE GOT NEWS FOR YOUTHOUGH YOU SEE YOURSELF AS PRESIDENTNEW YORKERS HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEWWE THINK YOU'RE MERELY DECADENTWE GOTHAMITES ARE GETTING TIREDOF HEARING YOU KVELL AND BRAG AND BOASTWE'D LIKE TO SAY TO YOU, "YOU'RE FIRED!WE'VE HAD ENOUGH...TO US YOU'RE TOAST!"STICK TO YOUR MONOLITHIC EYESORESBUILD ANOTHER GLITZY ...
You'd think there is a huge Tea Party group in the U.S. and virtually no opposition. But, that is strictly a myth created and perpetuated by the media. To the contrary, there is an alive and well anti-war movement populated by people from all over the country. One wonders why ...
THREE MEMBERS OF THE GRANNY PEACE BRIGADE GIVEN THE FIRST CLARA LEMLICH AWARD
As part of the week-long commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirt Factory fire of March 25, 2011, the first Clara Lemlich Award was presented to thirty older women on March 21 in a ceremony at the Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation. Three of the recipients are members ...
It's encouraging to see the people uprisings abroad and in our own country. The Egypt revolt really sparked something, and, on its revolutionary heels, the workers of Wisconsin came to life and fought Gov. Walker's efforts to strip them of their rights. People in other states being subjected to the ...
Why Don't We Anti-War Protesters DO It?
The massive protest in Wisconsin got me thinking. Why can't we do the same to end the war in Afghanistan and the occupation of Iraq? There are millions of people in the U.S. who urgently want these wasteful, tragic and unjustified conflicts concluded immediately and all troops and armaments brought ...
Can We Peace Grandmothers Foment an Egypt-Style Revolution to End Our Wars
There we were, last Wednesday as usual, our little straggly group of elderly grandmothers and supporters standing on Fifth Avenue in front of Rockefeller Center chanting, "BRING THEM BACK...FROM AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ! STOP THE KILLING NOW!" We were into our eighth year of our Grandmothers Against the War weekly late-afternoon ...
My group, New York City's Grandmothers Against the War, recently "adopted" the Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers, to provide moral and material support for their efforts to end our war in their homeland. The youngsters, who live in a mountain village 100 miles NW of Kabal, have accomplished miracles of peace-building ...
New York City Super-Elderly Take a Lead in Protesting the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
Just because one is 80, 90 or older, don't think for one moment one doesn't still retain the power to effectively protest the wrongs committed by our Government. Many old people wished to go to Washington D.C. Saturday, October 2, to join the One Nation March to advocate an end ...
Gray Panthers Urge an End to Tax Cuts for the Rich
The Panthers are dedicated to creating a humane society where the needs of people are put over profit.As the tax-cut debate rages through the Senate, the House, and among the prospective candidates for public office, the Gray Panthers are firmly committed to their stance that tax cuts for the wealthy ...
Dear Michael Moore:I applaud you for opposing the war back then when most people, including liberal big-leaguers, were so gullible and cowed that they actually supported the Bush crime syndicate's sinister plot. I know you were razzed and attacked for speaking out and I am certainly sympathetic for the hard ...
Barry, things have run amokTake the blinders off your eyesDon't you see that we're stuckin a lethal, tight'ning viseYou helped us hope once moreGot us wired and inspiredWe expected there'd be no more warFear and despair were retiredBut, things didn't change as expectedWhere did the promises go?Bad policies stayed uncorrectedYour ...
Gray Panthers Oppose Rep. Boehner's Proposal to Raise Age of Social Security Recipients
On June 29, House Republican Leader John Boehner made news with his statement that the age for persons eligible for Social Security benefits should be raised from 65 to 70. "If you have substantial non-Social Security income while you're retired, why are we paying you at a time when we're ...
Come to NYC's Most Unusual 4th of July Celebration -- In Strawberry Fields
There will always be Independence Day parades, picnics, and fireworks, but there is only one Reading of the Constitution, to be held in Strawberry Fields, Central Park, this coming July 4, starting at noon. For the fourth year in a row, famed civil liberties attorney, Norman Siegel, and his friends will ...
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August 15th, 2012
Peace Grannies, Moms and Vets Diss NBC's New Reality Rah Rah War Show, "Stars Earn Stripes"
In a remarkable display of unity, a number of New York peace groups joined together in just a few days to plan and carry out a protest ...
June 17th, 2012
We can feel the so-called "right to lifers" nipping at our heels. Legislators, mostly male, are trying to take us back to the days of deadly back alley ...
February 12th, 2012
Pillow Talk with Mitt and Anne ...a sketch by Joan Wile
SCENE: Hotel bedroom, on the campaign trail. MITT and his wife, ANNE, are talking. MITT: How in hell am I going to stop this infernal yapping ...
November 22nd, 2011
Zuccotti Park After the Police Raid
Zucotti Park is greatly changed from the bustling, overflowing, colorful encampment it was only a week ago when I was there. All the tarps, tents, ...
October 24th, 2011
Peace Granny Cautiously Optimistic at Iraq War's End
The news hit me like an electric shock. Was this for real? I stared at the words on the TV screen in disbelief -- PRESIDENT ...
October 19th, 2011
Police Back Off from Grandmothers as the Granny Peace Brigade Occupies Lincoln Center
Culture seekers streaming through Lincoln Center Tuesday evening, Oct. 18, were undoubtedly surprised to see a tableau not usually seen at the arts complex. Approximately ...
October 4th, 2011
The Truth About Congressman Rangel's Visit to 'Occupy Wall Street'
There are so many people at Zucotti Park, the locale for the New York City Occupy Wall Streeters, that it's hard for the many media ...
July 30th, 2011
Granny Has Already Been Screwed by the Government for Two Years
Don't kid yourselves, older people, that if there are to be no Social Security cuts resulting from the current debt crisis debacle, we can thank ...
August 6th, 2011
Wake Up, America! Your House Is on Fire!
What else do we need to make it clearThat Doomsday is getting perilously nearOur safety net is torn to shredsTax breaks are given to corporate ...
October 19th, 2011
Police Back Off from Grandmothers as the Granny Peace Brigade Occupies Lincoln Center
Culture seekers streaming through Lincoln Center Tuesday evening, Oct. 18, were undoubtedly surprised to see a tableau not usually seen at the arts complex. Approximately ...
February 22nd, 2011
Why Don't We Anti-War Protesters DO It?
The massive protest in Wisconsin got me thinking. Why can't we do the same to end the war in Afghanistan and the occupation of Iraq? ...
February 6th, 2011
Can We Peace Grandmothers Foment an Egypt-Style Revolution to End Our Wars
There we were, last Wednesday as usual, our little straggly group of elderly grandmothers and supporters standing on Fifth Avenue in front of Rockefeller Center ...
August 15th, 2012
Peace Grannies, Moms and Vets Diss NBC's New Reality Rah Rah War Show, "Stars Earn Stripes"
In a remarkable display of unity, a number of New York peace groups joined together in just a few days to plan and carry out a protest ...
September 18th, 2010
Dear Michael Moore:I applaud you for opposing the war back then when most people, including liberal big-leaguers, were so gullible and cowed that they actually ...
'Dirty Wars' by Jeremy Scahill
Why have you started a comedy festival in northern Michigan in the middle of winter?
Because if you were here in the dead of winter in the middle of nowhere (which is actually somewhere to us), you'd need a few laughs too ... Continue Reading
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Michael Moore on the Rachel Maddow Show, 2/27/12
