Dear Friends,

My arrest at Governor Branstad’s office last Monday (Fallon sits-in at Governor’s office to stop pipeline) has landed me an appearance at the Polk County Courthouse this coming Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. Prior to that, attorney Joseph Glazebrook and I will hold a brief press conference on the south side of the Courthouse at 12:45 to announce how we plan to proceed. I’d love to have friends and fellow pipeline fighters join me for that. Please come if you are able.

I also want to tell you about my jail experience, which was both instructive and disturbing. There was a bit of humor, too, in that one of this pipeline fighter’s cell mates was . . . a pipe fitter! He and I actually hit it off quite well. I’ll save that conversation for today’s program (see below).

Here’s the lowdown on the Memorial Day edition of the Fallon Forum, which you can hear live 11:00-12:00 noon on KDLF 1260 AM (Des Moines) and online. The program re-broadcasts Wednesdays on KHOI 89.1 FM (Ames) at 4:00 p.m., on KPVL 89.1 FM (Postville) at 7:00 p.m., and will be available as a podcast.

Dr. Charles Goldman co-hosts our Memorial Day special, and Charles’ brother (and Civil War expert) Stephen Goldman joins us by phone.

(1) We’ll reflect on Memorial Day and thank our veterans by taking a look at the highly-political origins of a day that is now, gratefully, above the political fray.

(2) But we wouldn’t want to let you down, so into the political fray we plunge with a look at the two presidential candidates vying for their respective families to achieve dynasty status: Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton.

(3) On a lighter (literally) note, we pronounce the final word on the “deflate-gate” non-scandal and the merciless skewering of Tom Brady, a.k.a, the best quarterback in the history of football.

(4) Ireland’s historic, resounding vote in support of gay marriage saw only one county vote in opposition: Roscommon. That’s where the Fallon clan hails from, and I hope to have one of my kinfolk join us on the phone to explain why out of 26 counties, Roscommon stood alone.

(5) Ever feel like you’ve had enough and just want your own country? Well, there’s precedent – most recently, the proposed country of Liberland.

(6) Avian flu is big news lately, diverting attention from the ongoing tragedy of rural schools closing as farm consolidation continues. Not surprisingly, the mainstream media missed the sad irony that one soon-to-be shuttered Iowa high school was offered $1 by, get this . . . a huge egg-factory producer that wants to turn the school into a bio-security facility.

(7) We’ll have an update on efforts to stop the Bakken Oil Pipeline. Those efforts are now front and center before Iowa lawmakers and Governor Branstad, as the legislative session shows signs of moving toward adjournment and SF 506 and HSB 249 continue to struggle for passage.

(8) And I’ll talk about my stay at the Polk County Jail.

And please do your part this week to help stop the Bakken Oil Pipeline. Take a moment to call or write your state senator and ask him or her to support SF 506, the eminent domain bill now eligible for debate by the full Senate. Please call or write your state representative as well and ask him or her to support the companion bill, HSB 249. And if you are not certain who represents you at the statehouse, go to find your legislator.

Thanks! – Ed Fallon