White House Does Not Meet with Iran President Ahmadinejad during UN General Assembly Meeting – But a Small Group of American Citizens Does – Part I of III

By Ed Hale

As United States 2008 presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama bickered over how they would “handle the Iran threat” in their first debate on Friday night, citing erroneous facts and competing with one another on who would hold out the longest from engaging in diplomatic talks with Iran, a small group of one-hundred and fifty American citizens representing fifty of the country’s most prominent peace and human rights groups were busy talking to the world’s media about the two-hour private meeting they held with the Iranian President two days prior.

The meeting – which was not revealed to the media until the next day to assure the safety and security for those in attendance – took place on Wednesday September 24 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City during the 63rd annual United Nations General Assembly Meeting. The goal of the meeting was “to introduce President Ahmadinejad to the peace community in the United States and to illustrate how this sector of civil society works to oppose war and the use of non-violence to resolve differences,” said the meeting’s facilitator, Mark Johnson, Executive Director of the global Fellowship of Reconciliation, the world’s oldest peace organization.

In an exhilarating live experiment in civilian diplomacy in action, the ballroom of the Grand Hyatt Hotel was transformed into a veritable who’s who of some of the most outspoken and prominent members of America’s peace, anti-war, and human rights organizations, including Medea Benjamin of A Global Exchange, Jodie Evans of Code Pink and Women for Peace, Brian Becker of the ANSWER Coalition, yours truly representing PeaceWithIran.com, and Leslie Cagan of United for Peace and Justice. There were also representatives from Physicians for Social Responsibility, the Mennonites, the Lutheran Peace Fellowship, American Friends Committee on National Legislation, and the Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity, among many others. American citizens flew in from almost all fifty states to hold the private meeting with President Ahmadinejad in an effort to begin the process of what many consider long overdue open dialogues with Iran regarding how our two nations can work together to secure more peaceful relations with one another.

The issues raised during the two-hour plus talk, many considered vital for the future security of both the United States and Iranian citizenry, revolved around how the countries can begin putting aside their mutual distrust of one another in order to move forward in peaceful negotiations; both the US and the Iranian government’s recent crackdown on human rights, freedom of assembly, and dissidents; the current US occupation of Iraq; Iran’s controversially viewed policy toward Israel; their treatment of women and other minorities; the difficulty on both sides of obtaining visas to visit either country. Of course the big issue of the moment, will Iran accept a compromise on its nuclear fuel enrichment program, was also addressed.

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Coinciding with this week’s United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York City, singer-songwriter Ed Hale of the rock group TRANSCENDENCE, will be part of a coalition of prominent members of the United States peace and human rights movement who will be meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Over 100 peace and human rights activists representing over three dozen American peace and human rights groups will fly in to attend the private meeting with the Iranian president in an undisclosed location. There has been an embargo on releasing the date, time, or location of the meeting to the press in order to avoid any interruption of the proceedings.

Hale visited Iran in March of this year along with 12 others as a Civilian Diplomat to discuss US/Iranian relations with members of the Iranian government including former President Khatami. Hale has been interviewing with the media about the trip over the last six months, as well as giving formal presentations to discuss it with the public. He has also written about it on his blog, The Transcendence Diaries. Photos from the trip can be viewed by visiting Hale’s Flickr page here. This meeting in the US is being held in order to introduce Ahmadinejad to the peace community in the United States and to illustrate how this sector of civil society works to oppose war and the use of violence to resolve differences. Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and UN Ambassador Mohammad Khazaee will also be in attendance.

In response to those who have vocally protested his involvement in meeting with Ahmadinejad, Hale had this to say: “Iran and the United States have not spoken diplomatically in over 25 years. When the governments of these nations do speak to each other it is usually behind closed doors through special envoys in some remote neutral country or they speak AT each other publicly through the media making accusations and threats and bullying each other. Israel is also involved in this childish power struggle. All three countries need to grow up and start representing the people of their nations in a more mature and responsible manner that respects human life. Until the governments of our countries are willing to stop the chest beating and start a real dialogue about the most pressing issues that the people are facing — most importantly peace between our countries — then we the people need to step up and do the talking for them. This is what Civilian Diplomacy is about. It is imperative that someone say something constructive that moves us forward; at the same time we need to start listening to each other more. For me personally I don’t care who I have to meet with if it means that it might potentially save human lives. Our meeting with President Ahmadinejad does not imply that we agree with his Holocaust denial statements anymore than our meeting with Dick Cheney would imply that we support the invasion of Iraq. What is most important is that we get the message out to as many people around the world as possible that peace is possible and that if we have to then we the people will make that happen if the governments of the world are not willing to. We certainly cannot continue in the direction we are headed in now. We need to open the lines of communication in order to assure that we save more lives. That’s what this meeting is about.”

In anticipation of two new studio albums coming out this year, the eclectic musical group fronted by singer-songwriter Ed Hale has released a new collection of 14 rare and never before released tracks including the poignant September 11th tribute song Rebuild America…

SEVEN YEARS after its recording, rock band TRANSCENDENCE have released the September 11^th tribute song Rebuild America for sale on a new rarities collection album entitled The City of Lost Children. The song Rebuild America was recorded in October of 2001 just after the World Trade Center attacks in New York but never officially released. The song was eventually turned into a music video. Watch it here on YouTube. Now the song is finally being released for sale with all proceeds to benefit September 11^th victims’ families through the Robin Hood Foundation. The album also features 13 other rare and never before released tracks from all five of the band’s previous albums.

 

In anticipation of the two new studio albums being released this year comes first this compilation of unreleased outtakes and rarities from TRANSCENDENCE that offers fans access to many of the band’s most hard to find hidden tracks and studio gems for the first time ever. The City of Lost Children is a compilation of studio outtakes from all five of the band’s officially released albums that spans eight years. The album also includes unreleased favorites such as the R&B flavored Whenever I’m with you — a familiar staple on various MTV shows over the years, and the September 11^th tribute song Rebuild America; as well as two Brazilian-classic covers sung in Portuguese when singer Ed Hale was at the peak of his Tropicalismo obsession. From irresistibly catchy commercial pop (Jacquie) to psychedelic alt-rock (Kill the monkey), raw, urgent indie-rock (All is lost) to Beatlesque Brit-pop (Andrea’s Fault) and avant garde experimental instrumentals (Nothing is cohesive part II) The City of Lost Children offers a revealing glimpse behind the curtain of the creative and prolific musical collective known as TRANSCENDENCE with 14 never before released tracks that is sure to be a treasure chest for those who want a deeper look into the eccentric group’s past musical explorations. As diverse and eclectic as the song selection is, fans should find it a special collection that sounds like it could be an album in and of itself. And indeed now it is.

 

The album features extensive liner notes written personally by the band with song credits, and plenty of details and back-story about each song. To read and download the liner notes and the lyrics to the songs fans should head to the band’s website www.transcendence.com.

The album is available for digital download on Napster, Yahoo Music, iTunes, emusic, Rhapsody, and of course amazon.com.

To listen to or download the songs or the whole album on Amazon.com click here.

 

TRACK LISTING

1. WHENEVER I’M WITH YOU (Outtake Rise and Shine)
2. JACQUIE (Outtake Rise and Shine)
3. ANDREA’S FAULT (Outtake Nothing is Cohesive)
4. REBUILD AMERICA (Single)
5. KILL THE MONKEY (Outtake Rise and Shine)
6. FREE LOVE (Hidden track Sleep with You)
7. EU SEI QUE VOU TE AMAR (Never released)
8. VAMPIRE SONG (Outtake The Great Mistake)
9. ALL IS LOST (Outtake The Great Mistake)
10. ALL OF MY LOVE (Outtake AYHBV)
11. O LEAOZINHO (Rare live track)
12. MORNING IN VENICE (Outtake AYHBV)
13. THE GREAT LEAP INTO THE FOREVER UNKNOWN (Outtake AYHBV)
14. NOTHING IS COHESIVE PART II (Outtake Nothing is Cohesive)

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Tune In, Turn On, and Join the Revolution by connecting with Ed Hale directly on Facebook! Don’t wait for email. Join Ed Hale on Facebook and be the first to get the latest news, read his latest articles and blog postings, watch the newest videos, and hear the newest songs! All without leaving the comfort of your own beloved Facebook profile! MySpace is dead and email is already yesterday’s news by the time we read it. What to do? A direct connection! Simply click here. New album releases, live performance updates, free MP3s, rare photos, the latest articles and interviews, and the newest videos are automatically updated in real time as they happen.

Fans and friends can also become friend’s with Hale’s band TRANSCENDENCE on Facebook to stay up to date on the latest news, album releases, songs, photos, and videos. Just click here.  

A newly ramped-up web2.0 version of the non-profit website TuneInTurnOnHelpOut.org has been released. The website features a comprehensive database of thousands of links to charitable causes, non-profits, and volunteer opportunities for people who want to get more out of life by giving. From political activism to helping women in need, from Africa to children’s charities, the links are categorized to make the website easy to navigate and features a search function to facilitate finding the right fit for whatever might interest someone who is interested in lending a helping hand and making the world a better place. While you’re searching for your next cause du jour, help others find what’s right for them by sharing your own experiences. The website offers visitors the opportunity to post comments and share their own stories with others about charities and causes that they have donated to or supported or volunteered for. As always TuneInTurnOnHelpOut.org also offers anyone the chance to submit links to their own favorite causes and charities and submit articles and essays about current needs in the world. This keeps the site an ongoing and constantly evolving community-based project.

This year TuneInTurnOnHelpOut.org is celebrating its 10th year. The project was started in 1998 by singer/songwriter Ed Hale of the rock group TRANSCENDENCE. To read more about the project click here.