December 7, 2006 Peace Event at Pasadena Community College
Thursday, as part of a long-term campaign to bring an end to the war in
Iraq and Afghanistan and to begin the healing process both abroad and at
home, we the people are making a declaration of peace. For over three
and one half years, we have marched and we have rallied; we have
campaigned for political change and we have lobbied our representatives.
Yet still this war rages on. We the people, along with a clear majority
of Americans, have told our elected officials that it is time for our
sons and daughters to come home. Yet still, they do not listen.
As citizens of a democratic state, we must try all options. We have
raised our voices and we have used our votes. Still, the proposed
solutions to this war from people of power include sending more troops,
instead of setting timetables and bringing the young men and women home.
We therefore place our bodies on the line, in the path of escalating the
war and so will preventing more young people joining the military. We
do so to save the lives of young people, both here and in Iraq. We risk
as much as we can to bear witness to the unnecessary loss of life caused
by war and because our children risk far more when they enlist in the
military.
Because we want our children to be students and not soldiers. Because we
seek to save the lives of young people, we seek to close this recruiting
center - even if for just one day. We do this in the tradition of
Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and Caesar Chavez, without the use of
violence and with love in our hearts. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
once wrote, "we present our very bodies as a means of laying our case
before the conscience of our local and national community." We
therefore are using our bodies today as a barrier to continued war, and
we do so for the entire international community to bear witness.
On Wednesday, Dec 6th, the Baker Commission will come out with
recommendations for the US in Iraq. By our statements and actions we are
making our opinion known that we oppose any move in Iraq that does not
start with a detailed commitment to remove US armed forces from Iraq,
starting immediately.
Over 2900 US armed forces members have died in Iraq and more than
600,000 Iraqis have died. Pasadena Community College students,
professors and staff will join with local peace groups including
Foothills Peace Coalition, Alhambra Peace Vigil, South Pasadena Peace
Vigil, Pasadena Peace Vigil, Peace Witness and organizations including
Catholic Worker LA, Code Pink LA, American Friends Service Committee,
and Somos Seres Humanos in an all day presence for peace in Pasadena.
Thursday, Dec 7th
8 AM - 11:50 AM Signs & Presence for Peace on Colorado Blvd.
12 PM - 1 PM Student Rally on Pasadena City College Campus
Meet at Sculpture Garden
12:45 PM Press Conference @ Armed Forces Recruitment Station
1 PM - 8 PM Support Members Engaging in Direct Action
And Candlelight Vigil @ Recruitment Center
Be Prepared
We will have two black draped coffins as well as signs against the war
in Iraq. Please bring more signs.
Clothing: Wear comfortable clothing. You need an I.D. if you are
considering risking arrest and make sure to bring anything very
important with you - medication if you take it. Bring sunscreen and
bottled water.
Press Comments
Everyone should be familiar with the scenario. Include good dramatic
sentences which can be used for "sound bites", including the following
points:
Remember we are doing this with and for the students, because their
rights and futures need to be protected.
Educate and remind people that this action and all actions of the
weekend are part of our democracy, its history, and when our leaders
don't listen, we need to do things like this;
We are not against the young men and women in uniform, we support them
and care for them and want them to come home safely;
We respect and care for the Iraqi people and it is painful to see the
violence brought upon them, the destruction of their infrastructure, and
the stirring of civil strife;
70% of troops feel this war is a mistake; and
We were lied to by the Administration of the justification of going to
war.
WE ARE FOR:
Having the total of 2 trillion dollars to be spent on this war go to
American victims of disasters such as Katrina, to healthcare and
education, and to fight poverty and homelessness;
Negotiation and diplomacy for solving conflicts rather than weapons of
violence and destruction;
Peaceful co-existent, on-going communication between the US and Iraq to
understand and to respect one another;
Seeking common ground between the Iraqi and American people - not
division;
Speaking the truth of this war - the costs.
Contacts:
Steven Gibson 562-900-2834
Georgie Noguera 213-489-1900
http://www.peacewitnessla.org <http://www.peacewitnessla.org/>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
LAAMN: Los Angeles Alternative Media Network
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Digest: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Help: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Post: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Archive1: <http://www.egroups.com/messages/laamn>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Archive2: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/laamn/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/laamn/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
