[fse-esf] Fwd: Antiwar Movement Marks 3rd Anniversary of War

[Campaign GENOA 2001-Greece]

Προώθηση Από: UFPJ Action Alerts <listmaster at unitedforpeace.org>

> ===========================================ACTION ALERT * UNITED 
FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE 
> http://www.unitedforpeace.org | 212-868-5545
> To subscribe, visit http://www.unitedforpeace.org/email
> ===========================================Please forward widely!
> 
> Antiwar Movement Marks 3rd Anniversary of War
> 
> Over this past week, tens of thousands of people throughout the 
U.S., and thousands more around the world, turned out to mark the 
3rd anniversary of the war in Iraq. In town squares and parks, on 
street corners and bridges, in front of legislators' offices and 
military recruiting stations all over the country, people stood up 
for peace -- and to make the war's third anniversary its last 
anniversary. There were more than 600 events, held in all 50 states.
> 
> Many communities held several educational and action-oriented 
events throughout the week, often culminating in a march, 
demonstration or vigil. While some organizers reported smaller 
turnouts than in years past, many groups also reported seeing a lot 
of new faces and recruiting new members. Coverage by local and 
national media was generally better than in the past.
> 
> The breadth and variety of the local events is a tremendous 
achievement, and bodes well for building grassroots momentum as we 
head toward the April 29 mass mobilization in NYC and the November 
Congressional elections. Here are a few of the many highlights (you 
can find more reports on 3rd anniversary events on our website -- 
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id215):
> 
>     * More than 200 veterans and survivors of Hurricane Katrina 
marched from Mobile to New Orleans to make the connection between 
the destruction in Iraq and the neglect and need at home. Thousands 
gathered in New Orleans' Armstrong Park to welcome the marchers; 
afterward, participants helped repair a veteran's home that had been 
damaged by the storm. (http://www.bringthemhomenow.org/)
> 
>     * The 541-mile Peregrinacion por La Paz (March for Peace), led 
by Iraq vet Camilo Mejia, Fernando Suarez Del Solar, the father of 
one of the first U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq, and Iraq war 
resisters Pablo Paredes and Aidan Delgado, is still underway, 
spreading the word about the realities of war from Tijuana to San 
Francisco. The journey will culminate in San Francisco on March 27 
with a mass blood drive for civilians and coalition forces in Iraq. 
(http://guerreroazteca.org/)
> 
>     * In Washington, DC, an organizer of the National Coalition 
for Nonviolent Resistance event reports, "Some 200 antiwar activists 
gathered near the Lincoln Memorial. ... [W]e conducted a solemn and 
somber march across the Arlington Memorial Bridge to the LBJ Grove. 
There four speakers condemned the war: Cindy Sheehan; Mike Ferner, 
fasting since February 15; Laura Costas, Military Families Speak 
Out; and Michael Berg, whose civilian son Nick was killed in Iraq. 
We then marched with a commemorative coffin towards the Pentagon, 
until we encountered a five-foot-high steel barrier. Since we 
intended to deliver the coffin to Secretary of War Donald Rumsfeld, 
fifty-one of us climbed over or went under the barrier. We were 
taken into custody and charged with 'failure to obey a lawful 
order.' ... At a post-arrest gathering, the activists reflected on 
the powerful emotional tone of the March on the Pentagon and started 
strategizing about future actions. Many of the actions will take 
place in local communities, but there was also a sense of urgency to 
continue coming together for mass resistance." 
(http://globalcalliraq.org/en/call)
> 
>     * Chicago, IL: More than 100 religious, community and labor 
organizations built a diverse coalition 
(http://www.chicagoactions.org/), which drew 7,000-10,000 protestors 
from neighborhoods all over the city and surrounding suburbs, 
culminating in a rally and a triumphant march down Michigan Avenue. 
> 
>     * One other note from Illinois: After a five-month campaign by 
AWARE (Anti-War Anti-Racism Effort) of Urbana/Champaign, the Urbana 
City Council passed a resolution on March 20 to bring the US 
military home from Iraq and to end US occupation.
> 
>     * New York, NY: Nineteen people were arrested on March 19 for 
blocking traffic when they attempted to read the names of Iraqi 
civilians killed during the war outside the Times Square military 
recruiting station. The demonstration was part of the War Resisters 
League march, which drew approximately 400 protestors who walked in 
silence, accompanied by a gong and drums, carrying signs, cardboard 
coffins and pictures of war victims. (http://www.warresisters.org/)
> 
>     * The Idaho Peace Coalition handed out 500 'receipts' 
(http://www.unitedforpeace.org/receipts) from the Department of 
Defense for the $225.6 billion taxpayers have been forced to spend 
on the war: "Beautiful sunshine warmed the day for over 500 folks 
who participated in the Idaho Peace Coalition's War Buck Brigade on 
Sunday. A human line was formed between the offices of the two Idaho 
congressmen and the Idaho Statehouse. Uncle Sam doled out $743 
million dollars (Idaho's share of the cost) outside the offices and 
the participants handed the money down the line to the Iraq War 
trash can at the Idaho Statehouse." 
> 
>     * From a report from Las Cruces, New Mexico: “Around 100 
diverse people gathered to be a presence for peace and for an end to 
the Iraq War. One family had made gorgeous signs and had their 
poodle adorned with a ‘poodles for peace’ sign, along with others 
that had signs like ‘Kids Want Peace’ and ‘Who would Jesus bomb?’ 
and ‘End the War Begin the Peace.’ Grandmothers, Grandfathers, Moms, 
Dads, kids, babies, drummers, musicians, teachers, a Buddhist Priest 
and others were together in thought and prayer and presence. The 
majority of people driving by the busy intersection by the local 
post office and City Hall honked in agreement and waved peace signs 
and gave friendly nods. Some did disagree, but there was no 
incident.”
> 
> The war and occupation in Iraq is now in its 4th year. Hard to 
imagine, but true. Even in the face of the horror of this war, the 
actions around the country this past week give us grounds for hope.
> 
> It's now year four -- time to end the war! Bring all our troops 
home now! 
> 
> ===========================================
> UFPJ Needs Your Financial Support!
> Visit http://www.unitedforpeace.org/donate today.
> 
> APRIL 29
> New York City
> March for Peace, Justice, and Democracy (http://www.april29.org)
> End the war in Iraq -- bring the troops home!
> Unite for change -- let's turn our country around!
> 
> ===========================================ACTION ALERT * UNITED 
FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE 
> http://www.unitedforpeace.org | 212-868-5545
> To subscribe, visit http://www.unitedforpeace.org/email
> 
> If you no longer wish to receive emails from us, visit 
www.demaction.org/ufpj/unsubscribe.jsp 
> ===========================================/*Your email ID. 
<diaEmailID='97126785' thread20/>--*/



-- 
Petros Constantinou
Campaign GENOA 2001-Greece
0030 6932828964


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.fse-esf.org/pipermail/fse-esf/attachments/20060323/e2f62660/attachment.htm