Encampment to stop wars gathers steam in D.C. and L.A.
Encampment to stop wars gathers steam in D.C. and L.A. By Scott Scheffer Los Angeles Published Sep 9, 2007 10:36 PM
The mainstream media has been writing about the upcoming Congress sessions as if some epic battle between anti-war forces and the Bush/Cheney cabal will take place there.
Not many are as excited about it as the media is. After the last national election, newly elected Democrats wasted no time in making it clear that they would not cut war funding, and that calls to impeach Bush and Cheney for war crimes would be ignored.
The real momentum against the war comes from the people, and there is growing excitement over parallel anti-war/social justice mobilizations during the week of Sept. 22-29 in Washington, D.C., and in Los Angeles. Activists will set up ‘tent cities’ on the lawn of the Capitol in the week leading up to major demonstrations on Sept. 29. In Los Angeles, there will be a three-day tent city at the Westwood Federal Building, followed by a 15-mile walk across Los Angeles on Sept. 25 to the Downtown Federal Building. Another tent city will be set up and will remain there until the mass march and rally on Sept. 29.
The walk across town itself will be a day-long protest with stops at the Israeli Consulate, to demand liberation and the right of Palestinian people to return to their homes, and at the Salvadoran consulate, where the local FMLN will demand that Salvadoran troops pull out of Iraq. Other stops may be added as plans develop.
The actions were called by the Troops Out Now Coalition to carry out an anti-war event that includes organizations and activists fighting for immigrant rights, those who are struggling against the heightening assault on workers, and all others affected by the war. This is reflected in the list of endorsers and participants (see troopsoutnow.org).
In Los Angeles, the events will be kicked off a day earlier with an important action at the Filipino Consulate to mark the anniversary of the imposition of martial law and to protest the arrest of Filipino people’s leader Jose Maria Sison, organized by BAYAN-USA.
Code Pink plans actions in Washington, D.C., and in Los Angeles, and the Los Angeles chapter of American Friends Service Committee, which shut down a Hollywood military recruiting center last year, will carry out a civil disobedience action.
Healthcare will be a major issue at the protests, and some of the people who were featured in Michael Moore’s film “SiCKO” will organize a vigil in Washington on Sept. 28th.
Sept. 27 has been selected to be the day for major immigrant rights actions at both encampments.
As a result of efforts by the Los Angeles chapter of U.S. Labor Against the War, the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor has endorsed. Union officials will join Ron Kovic, other anti-war veterans and military resisters such as Agustin Aguayo in a press conference to push the encampment next week. L.A. USLAW plans a teach-in on the war and labor solidarity.
Other actions will highlight the connection between racism and violence against the Iraqi people and others victimized by U.S imperialism, and repression, racism and sexual and gender oppression in the U.S. In Los Angeles, there will be a special event to honor Victoria Arellano, a transwoman who was denied access to AIDS medication by jail officials and died as a result.
From across the country people are boarding buses, flying and driving long distances to get to Washington, D.C., or Los Angeles with their tents and their protest signs to join in these unique and important actions to stop the war against workers and the poor, and to stop the U.S. wars abroad.
Donate!
If you can't join us at the Encampment - you can still be a part of this mobilzation to Stop the War at Home and Abroad. Please consider making a generous donation to help cover the costs of transportation, food, tents, sound equipment, and much more. You can donate online donate online at http://troopsoutnow.org/donate.shtml.
