Hey all,

I know you’ve been dying to find out who we support in this presidential election (as if you didn’t know yet).  But the rumors are true, and Morningbell fully backs Barack Obama for President in the 2008 election.

Can we put our money where our mouths are?  Well, how about our music?  If you post a photo of yourself with an “I Voted” sticker and some sort of Barackobilia, we’ll mail you a FREE copy of our 2nd album or a 7 inch vinyl single of Faster than Eagles. 

Same thing goes for our show on November 14th, bring your sticker and get some free stuff. 

If you do post the picture, please put it in our comments section and then separately email us your address.

So, get out there and vote for Barack Obama!

The amendments can be really tricky to read, so here’s some sites that help.

Also, Please research the judges we’re voting on retaining as you may not agree with their positions.

www.Ballotpedia.org

http://www.flcities.com/legislative/files/A228852694304B2092B40D75B87C847C.pdf

http://alachuavoterguide.com/blog/?page_id=156

Here are your early voting locations in Gainesville: http://elections.alachua.fl.us/voter-registration/early_voting.html

Here’s a site with reviews of Circuit Judges
http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-2309618/Members-give-justices-appellate-judges.html

If you’re curious, Here’s how I’m voting:
Yes to retain all judges.
Amendment 1: Yes if you’re for immigrants’ rights
Amendment 2: No if you’re for gay rights, (yes if you’re against gay rights)
Amendment 3L Yes (not an important one, it doesn’t seem to have any opponents)
aMendment 4: yes
Amendment 6: really not important to me
Amendment 8: No, this would hurt community college state funding

Local Referenda:
Addional money to schools, YES
Wild Spaces, YES
Protection of County owned lands: YES

If you know any of us in the band, you know how we swing politically. 

My cousin sent this email forward to my mom.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA6_k3NtXZs

It’s a 12 minute video, which I sum up in my response, so you don’t need to watch the whole thing if you don’t want to.  The basic premise is that an attorney has filed suit demanding Obama prove he’s a US citizen.  After Obama did this by publically posting his birth certificate online, the attorney still disbelieves Obama is American and has continued with the suit, still demanding Obama prove he’s a citizen:

Here’s my reply.

Hi, this is Eric Atria here.  Let me please start by saying your vote is your choice, your political preferences are your choice.  I’m not trying to tell someone to have liberal values instead of conservative ones.  I try to respect everyone’s position, so please respect mine and read the following response to your email forward about this Phillip Berg lawsuit/video.

I believe the comment was from Aunt Maryanne saying she hopes this video isn’t true:  Well, of course it’s not true.

Obviously, we should all be concerned about our presidential candidates, however, you should turn to legitimate news sources, not Youtube videos.  I have made Youtube videos, many of them.  One of them is about our tortoise eating a Tomato.  Who’s to say that makes me an expert on reptilian affinity to nightshade fruits?  The video in question was self admittedly created in 36 hours.  How much research do you think was done in 1.5 days?

Here are some talking points:
1. saying you’re an independent doesn’t mean you’re an independent.  The people creating this video were clearly motivated by an agenda, whether it was Republicanism, Conservatism, Racism, who knows.  However, when you make a series of videos attacking one political party alone, I hardly see that as being Independent.

2. Phillip J Berg says Obama is trying to destroy America.  He alleges that Obama wasn’t born an american citizen and that Obama won’t submit proof of his birth certificate. He further says that Barack Obama is not a natural born citizen.  A quick google search reveals that McCain himself was not born in America.  Don’t reach for your legal paperwork yet, Mr. Berg, he was born in Panama to American citizen parents, thus making him a citizen jus sanguinis, which is a latin term for “by the blood.”  Since McCain wasn’t born on American soil, his citizenship was transferred through his American citizen parents.

Now, Barack Obama’s father was NOT an American citizen, he was an immigrant, just like all of our ancestors.  His mother, though, was a citizen.  However, Barack Obama’s citizenship was transferred jus soli, which is also a latin term for by place of birth.

Since we’re all good Americans, we know the US Constitution by memory, including the most important amendments.  For example, the 14th Amendment was a Big one.  It defined US citizenship, requiring equal protection of the law to ALL US citizens.  Most notably, it freed the slaves.  However, we use it to this day to establish women’s rights, minority rights, etc.  More specifically, the 14th Amendment states that “[a]ll persons born or naturalized in the United States , and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.”  Since Barack Obama was born in Hawaii, a state just like Sarah Palin’s Alaska, he is a Citizen of the United States by birth.

3.  Mr. Berg goes on to assert that Obama’s birth certificate must have been forged.  He believes Obama cannot produce a Birth Certificate because there is not a Birth Certificate.  Why can’t Mr. Berg do his own homework and check the public records of Hawaii?  Why can’t Mr. Berg consult the dozens of newspapers who have examined Obama’s birth certificate?  When you file a lawsuit, you can’t demand the other party to prove your case for you (see below).

4. Mr. Berg goes on to state that Obama lost his citizenship (if he ever had it) because he must have been granted citizenship in Indonesia when he briefly lived there as an ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILD.  There is no proof that he was ever granted Indonesian citzenship, nor that his American citizenship was invalidated by his living in Indonesia.  This is just an allegation by Mr. Berg.  Another quote from Mr. Berg reads as follows: “We really don’t believe he was born in Hawaii.  We think he was born in Kenya.”  That’s hardly clear and convincing evidence.

Mr. Berg should know that the United States Justice stystem is set up in such a manner that the plaintiff  (defined as:One who initially brings the Suit. In a personal action, he seeks a remedy in a court of justice for an injury to, or a withholding of, his rights.) must allege a wrong and then must present evidence to prove such a wrong.  In a criminal case, the plaintiff (or the State) must prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt (the highest standard of the law).  In civil matters, there are varying burdens of proof, the lowest of which requires the Plaintiff to prove their case by a preponderance of the evidence (basically 51%).   Apparently Mr. Berg doesn’t “believe” certain facts about Obama’s past and “thinks” other things.  These types of cases get thrown out of court for the same reason that cases about obese children suing McDonalds for making them overweight do.  They are groundless!

5.  Mr. Berg continues to demand that Obama hasn’t produced credentials affirming his birth and he refuses to present his birth certificate.  You can see it for yourself here.  http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/06/obama-birth.html amongst many other sites.  I’m sure you could even fly to Hawaii and check the public records yourself.  It would make for a wonderful vacation.

6.  Mr. Berg continues to assert that Obama’s practices are a disgrace.  May I take a moment of indulgence to state that YOU Mr. Berg are the Disgrace for filing your frivolous lawsuit and wasting our time with your hatred.

People. If you agree with John McCain’s policies, then by all means vote for him.  If you earn enough money to be benefitted by his tax policies, then by all means vote for him.  If you vote solely on god, guns, and gays, then by all means vote for him.  But please don’t vote for McCain only because you saw videos like these.

If you’re still undecided, please take a moment to think of what you want in a president.  Then, go to each candidates website and read their policies.  Do you agree with one or the other?  Then vote on it!

Thank you for your time.

Currently listening : For Emma, Forever Ago By Bon Iver Release date: 2008-02-19

Southeast Performer Magazine sent a reporter out to our show in Atlanta back in June.  They never ran it in print because they didn’t have a photograph from the show.  The reason being, they didn’t send a photographer or tell the writer to bring a camera.  After much prodding by us (after all, they made the guy come out and write the darn thing) they published the review online.  Here it be:

Morningbell

Relapse Theatre

Atlanta, GA

June 25, 2008

Here at Performer’s, we like to think that every week some band from another city or state is playing a basement in your town and 15 people are getting their minds blown. Be one of them. Well, when Morningbell played a show in the downstairs section of the Relapse Theatre, a comedy club, in Atlanta. I was one of those 15 people.

After a mix-up with booking Morningbell, a relatively popular up and coming psychedelic rock act, found itself with an open date in Atlanta and not a lot of time to book. Relapse opened its doors with no promise of a big crowd. However, on short notice and in a venue that isn’t meant for music, Morningbell brought the musical fire that earned them a spot on the bill at Bonnaroo this summer.

Opening with an older track, Morningbell brought out one of the aspects to its act that makes it unique in a modern day indie scene that has seen just about

everything. Bassist Eric Atria, during certain parts of the set (including the opening song “Placebo Torpedo”) plays the Theremin, an instrument that produces high-pitched eerie noises a la “Good Vibrations” by The Beach Boys.

Although there were few things to complain about during the show, lead singer Travis Atria apologized that the band would not be playing with its trademark “Christmas light jackets” because his was electrocuting him.

Aside from its quirky side, Morningbell puts out a great musical product, including the airy voice of Atria and the impressive rhythm section work of Eric Atria and Chris Hillman. Stacie Thrushman provides perfect supplemental instrumentation on the keys and Atria can do unnatural things with his guitar.

The band broke out a couple of new songs entitled “Hello, Dali” and “Good Morning, I’m Here” that featured unbelievable musical work and dazzling vocals.

The energy onstage grew and grew until a fever pitch was reached during the closing numbers of when the band abandoned its instruments for an all percussion rendition of The Beatles’ “Tomorrow Never Knows.” The small crowd was left begging for more after the band left the stage and the quartet returned for an encore performance of “I Found Jesus (Hiding Under the Bed).”

A lot of bands would have mailed in a performance to such a miniscule audience under such frustrating conditions. However, Morningbell gave off the feel that they were putting forth more effort to make the best of an opportunity to personally connect with an audience.

-Review by Michael Aguilar

http://www.performermag.com/sep.livereviews.0808.php  (scroll down till almost the end, or search for “Morningbell”)

Hello Friends,

We’ve got TWO Shitty Beatles shows in Gainesville this week.

Thursday night at the Harn Museum, we will be performing for Museum Nights.  The event starts at 7 and the music 7:30.  We will be playing on the balcony overlooking the courtyard between the Harn and the Butterfly World.  It will be an acoustic set including many songs we never play in the club shows.  The show is totally FREE and there will be food and drink for you to enjoy.  It’s John Lennon’s Birthday on the 9th, so bring a present!

Friday night at the Atlantic, we will be doing one of our longest sets yet.  We’ve got over 25 songs lined up, also including some we’ve never done before.  We’ve gotten lots of requests and as far as I know, we’ve been able to learn every one.  The Atlantic is charging $6 for shows now and there is a $2 upcharge for under 21.  We are very sorry and have no control over this.  We always like to support 5 dollar shows, but times are a changin, folks.  We go on at Midnight sharp.  The show and downtown in general will be crowded, so get there early, as the Atlantic is a smaller club than Market Street or CG’s.  You’ll also want to show up early for our good friend Rickolus from Jacksonville.  He is highly entertaining and a wonderful musician (http://www.myspace.com/RICKOLUS).

BE THERE!