March 19-20 marks the two-year anniversary of the U.S. bombing and invasion of Iraq. After all of the death and destruction, and with the Bush administration claiming a mandate to continue their war, there’s a new urgency and a stronger determination within the global antiwar movement to bring the troops home now.
LOCAL ACTIONS NATIONWIDE UFPJ ... calls on supporters of peace and justice in every corner of the country, in communities large and small, to organize local protests against the war on Saturday, March 19. These can take many forms: vigils, rallies, marches, nonviolent civil disobedience. We especially encourage creative efforts to put the spotlight on the institutions of militarism at home by organizing actions outside military bases or military recruitment offices. List your activities on the UFPJ website calendar at: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/events (select “March 19” under Event Type).
On the first anniversary of the war, at least 319 cities and towns across the United States organized protests. This year there is the potential to organize even more demonstrations, and to bring more people than ever out into the streets. The Bush Administration will soon ask Congress to pump as much as $100 billion more into the war; March 19 is an opportunity to call for an end to this disaster, and to demand that the billions be allocated instead for rebuilding our communities at home and paying for the damage in Iraq.
Military Families Speak Out (http://www.mfso.org/), Bring Them Home Now(http://www.bringthemhomenow.org), Iraq Veterans Against the War (http://www.ivaw.net), Veterans For Peace (http://www.veteransforpeace.org), Quaker House, Fayetteville Peace with Justice, the North Carolina Peace and Justice Coalition (http://www.ncpeacejustice.org), and the North Carolina Council of Churches (http://www.nccouncilofchurches.org) are spearheading the Fayetteville action. Please do all you can to be in Fayetteville this year; by actively building and participating in this demonstration, we have the opportunity to support the efforts of Southern organizers to build a Southern network, and a Southern movement, to replace war and occupation with justice and self-determination.
BE PART OF A GLOBAL ANTIWAR MOVEMENT ... In addition to the many protests already being planned in the United States, people all around the world will be taking action on March 19 as well. Responding to a call from the European Social Forum’s Assembly of Social Movements, European activists are organizing national mobilizations across Europe. Brussels will be the site of a central demonstration on the eve of a meeting of the European Council, where demonstrators will march against war, racism, and a corporate-dominated Europe. India’s national Anti-War Assembly recently committed to major protests on the second anniversary of the war. And we anticipate that the World Social Forum will join this call when it meets later this month in Sao Paolo, Brazil. GET OUT THE WORD ... Circulate this email wide and far. UFPJ will soon have flyers, stickers, and other resources available to help you get out the word.
QUOTE OF THE DAY ... We live in oppressive times. We have, as a nation, become our own thought police; but instead of calling the process by which we limit our expression of dissent and wonder "censorship", we call it "concern for commercial viability". David Mamet
HEAR YEA, HEAR YEA, THE LATEST NEWS
WHERE'S THE MIRACLE IN A TSUNAMI?
Marianne Williamson Common Dreams Commentary
Marianne is part of a citizen lobbying campaign to create a U.S. Dept. of Peace- www.DoPCampaign.org AND http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0111-22.htm
THE CONSERVATIVE MARKETING MACHINE
Laurie Spivak, AlterNet
Armstrong Williams being paid to promote Bush administration policies in his columns is just one part of the behemoth marketing effort that the right wing has perfected.
http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/20946/
Plus, David Corn relates a conversation with Williams, in which the shamed commentator reveals that he's not the only one taking money from the big boys.
http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/20947/
THE BUSH PROPOSALS FOR SOCIAL SECURITY ARE ABOUT DISMANTLING THE CURRENT SYSTEM AND NOT SAVING IT
Ted Marmor & Jerry Mashaw, NY Newsday
http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0110-23.htm
THE DEATH SQUAD OPTION
Christy Harvey, Judd Legum, Jonathan Baskin, Center for American Progress
Faced with an intractable insurgency in Iraq, the Pentagon is returning to its bad old ways. Remember El Salvador?
http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/20941/
FILM REVEALS TRUE DESTRUCTION TO GHOST CITY FALLUJA
Rory McCarthy in Baghdad, Guardian/UK
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0111-10.htm
FULL FRONTAL OFFENSE
Rebecca Hyman, Bitch Magazine
A T-shirt proclaiming 'I had an abortion' puts the battle for choice front and center -- and stirs up controversy on both sides of the issue.
http://www.alternet.org/rights/20949/
NATURE: A REAL MORAL VALUE
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., AlterNet
Despite the rejection of some of Bush's worst environmental initiatives, the White House still hasn't learned that it'ssailing against the public tide.
http://www.alternet.org/envirohealth/20937/
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