The Encampment to Stop the War has moved to the streets!
Youth activists, veterans, and antiwar organizers have taken the street near Constitution Ave., Pennsylvania Ave., and 4th St. NW in the middle of Washington, D.C. Several hundred people have completely shut down the street, including people from as far away as Oregon and Florida. They intend to keep the street closed for as long as possible.
Hundreds of supporters have gathered on the sidewalks, as youth are erecting tents from the Encampment in the middle of the street.
They are asking for the progressive and antiwar community in the area to come out and support them. Bring food, water, signs, and join youth from across the U.S. who are moving from protest to resistance to shut down the war.
For more information, or to find out how you can help, call 202-821-3686.
Today, activists participating in the Encampment to Stop War at Home and Abroad went to the Justice Department in an attempt to present a letter of lesbian/gay/bi/trans solidarity for the Cuban 5, U.S. political prisoners who are being imprisoned because they tried to prevent terrorism being committed by right-wing organizations in Miami.
Imani Henry of Rainbow Solidarity for
the Cuban Five, initiators of today's event. photo by Mavis Yorks/Common Ground Relief
A press conference was held where participants spoke on different aspects of not only the Five, but implications of case.
Teresa Gutierrez of the New York Committee to Free the Cuban Five opened the conference with an introduction of the case.
Ivy Parker, a Hurricane Katrina survivor from New Orleans and a member of the NY Katrina/Rita Solidarity Committee, equated the terrorism of the United States with the government's response to Katrina and its hypocrisy in the treatment of the Five.
Mia Campbell of the youth group FIST--Fight Imperialism, Stand Together. photo by Mavis Yorks/Common Ground Relief
Ignacio Meneses of the National Network on Cuba discussed how the international community is supporting the Five and is paying attention to what the Justice Department is doing. He mentioned conferences on the Five occurring in Ecuador and Canada.
Brenda Stokely of the Million Workers March Movement spoke about the importance of people in the United States supporting the case of the five.
Berta Joubert-Ceci of the Women's Fightback Network spoke on the hypocrisy of the denial of visas of Adriana Pérez, the wife of Gerardo Hernández, and Olga Salanueva, the wife of René González, with all the U.S. government rhetoric on family values and democracy.
After the press conference the activists went to the doors of the Justice Department, where they were refused entry. The representative who was finally sent down to meet with them wouldn't even give them his last name.
Encampment Youth Take the Streets: Demand Troops Out Now!
About 50 youth just returned to the Encampment from a militant march through the streets of Washington. They took the streets as they marched from the Department of Education to focus on the lack of money for education; to the Department of Justice to demand an end to police brutality and justice for the Jena 6; to a military recruiters office to protest the recruitment of youth to kill and die for wars of profit; and finally to the Capitol building to say "No Justice, No Peace! U.S. Out of the Middle East."
Although they were pursued by more than a dozen police vehicles, they managed to hold the street for about 20 blocks.
There were no arrests -- in fact the march returned to the Encampment with more youth than they started with, as several groups of bypassers joined the march along the way.
Carlos Arredondo erecting Camp Alex, in honor of his son who was killed by President Bush's war in Iraq.
Organizers from the Common Ground Collective have set up their tent at the Encampment site to demand justice for Katrina/Rita survivors. Bush and Congress are spending $750 million every day on the criminal war in Iraq but have done nothing to help the people displaced by the hurricanes to return to their homes.
Bulletin board at the Encampment
Preparing for tomorrow's march.
Donna Smith, Larry Smith and Adrian Campbell from the movie SiCKO are preparing for the candlelight vigil to remember all those who have died because of lack of health care.
Larry Holmes, a national leader of the Troops Out Now Coalition preparing placards for tomorrow's march.
Anti-War Encampment Begins in Capital; Mass Demonstration Set for Sept. 29
Support the Anti-War Encampment in the Capital; Travel to Washington D.C. for the mass mobilization against the war this coming Sat. Sept. 21
PANW Editor's Note: Detroit will send a delegation to the Sept. 29 march on washington against the war. The trip is organized by the Michigan Emergency Committee Against War & Injustice (MECAWI). For information on bus tickets to travel to Washington D.C. contact MECAWI at (313) 680-5508, e-mail: info@mecawi.org, or log on to the following URL: http://www.mecawi.org
End the War - Keep War Funding Off The Floor!
What if Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi refused to present a bill on the floor of Congress to fund the criminal U.S. occupation of Iraq? The possibility of a Bush veto would not be an issue.
Although there are billions of dollars still in the pipeline, Bush and the Pentagon, faced with a new political reality, would be forced to begin making plans for withdrawal.
As Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi has full control over which pieces of legislation make it onto the floor of House to be voted on. The Democratic Party majority in Congress could just sit on any war spending bill and there would be no funds for the war
Funding for war in Iraq could be stopped at any number of steps in either the House or Senate.
According to the U.S. constitution spending bills have to originate in the House of Representatives. Congress has control over executive branch by having decisive control of funds for war.
Not only does the Speaker of the House control the legislation put on the floor for a vote, the Democrats, as the majority party, currently control the chair of all committees in both houses of congress. The Appropriations Committee could also just not bring the funding bill out of committee.
As the new majority Speaker of the House, one of Nancy Pelosi’s first acts was to declare that Impeachment proceedings against President Bush were ‘off the table’. This meant she would refuse to allow this burning issue to come to the floor of House. If instead as House Speaker, Pelosi were to declare that war funding is ‘off the table’, funding for war would not be possible.
When millions of people voted for Democratic Party politicians, who claimed to be anti-war last November, this is exactly the kinds of legislative actions they expected a Democratic, supposedly anti-war majority in Congress to take.
It is important to confront the direct fraud that the Democratic majority in Congress is putting forth in their complicity on voting to fund the war.
Even though they control the majority in both houses even since election they have given endless excuses about how they do not have the votes to do what they promised to do.
The Democrats claim that because they do not have a 2/3 majority they are powerless to over rule Bush's veto on the war funding. So they must pass a bill that Bush would approve. They could simply refuse to present a bill for ANY war funding.
They clearly have the Constitutional authority, the legislative power and political mandate.
But it will take a massive determined, angry and independent movement to force the conciliatory Democratic majority in Congress to put Impeachment on the table and take war funding off the table.
The Democrats with endless help from the corporate media have presented a hand wringing theatrical fraud about their lack of sufficient votes to take any action against the war.
Spending bills originates in House Appropriations Committee. Dave Obey (D Wisc). Obey could also simple refuse to move funding for the war out of committee. This is the fate of many hundreds of bills introduced into Congress each your. Most bills ‘die in committee’.
The Appropriations Committee has a Sub-committee on Defense chaired by John Murfa (D-PA), who says he wants to bring troops home He could do this by refusing to bring forward funding for the war.
At every stage Congress could act to stop funding the war.
After a funding bill is approved in the House of Representatives it moves to the Senate. Senator Robert Byrd, D-VA, head of the Senate Appropriations committee and so eloquently opposed to war could just refuse to move the bill thru the Senate Appropriations Committee. Harry Reid, Senate Majority leader could refuse to bring a bill to the Senate floor. Any of these measures would also ‘kill’ the multi-billion dollar war funding bill.
There would be no need to have a 60% majority to stop a Republican filibuster nor would the supposed anti-war Democrats need a 2/3 majority to overcome a presidential veto.
JUSTIFYING COLLABORATION
To further justify their collaboration on the war, members of Congress use their supposed concern for U.S. troops as a human shield. They are hiding behind soldiers and the threat that if they cut off funds U.S. soldiers would wake up tomorrow and not have food, water, even have funds to pull out.
This is also a fraud. The Pentagon does not live pay check to paycheck like working people do. The budget and supply process is decided months and years in advance. There is a long supply chain – planning and allocation are known many months in advance.
The Pentagon is using the funds for Iraq war to plan and prepare new wars against Iran. Half the U.S. navy has moved to within striking range of Iran. More than 10,000 sites have been targeted by Pentagon planners.
Congress and media know the determination of corporate America is to stay in Iraq for a generation or more.
As Congress again votes before the October 1 deadline to continue the war a political challenge is being prepared by the Troops Out Now Coalition. The greatest contribution of the Encampment scheduled to take place directly in front of Congress from Sept 22 to 29 is to show the kind of independent mass action that is needed to really end the war. Learning through bitter experience about the role of both capitalist parties is an essential part of the struggle to end the war.
Gather at reflecting pool on west side of Capitol at 11 a.m for rally
March will step off between 1 and 2 pm, and will pass by the Department of Health and Human Resources, FEMA headquarters and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency headquarters before returning to the Capitol for an ending rally. The purpose of this route is to draw attention to the resources that should be invested in health care instead of being spent on war; the ongoing injustices in the wake of Hurricane Katrina; and the campaign against immigrants.
Volunteers needed at 8:30 am.
Nearest METRO stop: Federal Center SW (on Blue line and Orange line)
Bus dropoff: west side of 3rd Street between Constitution and Independence (which is at the site of the Encampment to Stop the War) Bus pickup: same location. Buses should make their own parking arrangements at Union Station garage, 40 Massachusetts Ave NE (3 blocks from the rally and march site). Union Station information: 202-371-9441.
Music with a message hit Washington this week as anti-war activists hosted a concert series to raise awareness for their cause.
"Rock the Rulers" is part of a week-long encampment next to the Capitol's West Side reflecting pool hosted by the Troops Out Now Coalition, a New York City-based grassroots movement, along with Artists and Activists United for Peace.
The movement will hit its peak Saturday, with a march beginning at noon at the Capitol. This is the second encampment this year for Troops Out Now, who teamed up with other organizations to reach a broader range of supporters through music and entertainment.
"We want to make the connection between the war abroad and the war at home," said Troops Out Now Media Liaison LeilLani Dowell. "We realize that culture is a very important part of this too."
Dowell and other organizers and volunteers spent the week putting up tents, booths, and a small stage to vie for attention while debates for war funding rage in Capitol Hill.
"They could force the issue," said Dowell, referring to the Democrats elected to Congress last November. "We are trying to hold them accountable."
The event attracted a wide variety of visitors. Topics of interest brought up at tables and during the entertainment include support for Katrina survivors, Code Pink (a movement of women against war in Iraq), immigrant workers' rights, money for health care, and education.
Each night, from 8 p.m. until midnight, musicians from around the country performed on stage, expressing frustrations and hopes for peace. Though many performers are scheduled for specific slots throughout the week, organizers encourage anyone to come and share their art and passions on stage.
Carol Ann Moccio ’10 is one of the people attracted to the encampment by the prospect of joining music with the anti-war movement. A self-proclaimed Beatles fan and peace activist, Moccio said she found out about "Rock the Rulers" after seeing the movie "Across the Universe" with friends. The Beatles-inspired musical featured the struggle of young Americans during the Vietnam War as they attempted to give peace a chance.
"I was like 'Wow, I want to continue that'," said Moccio. "Hopefully our generation can be as motivated as theirs."
Moccio said looking up "D.C. peace marches" on the Internet led her to the "Rock the Rulers" Web site.
Dowell said she thinks the currently college-aged generation and older ones are fed up with war and are responding to the music.
"We've seen a lot more people come through than the last time," she said. "It's time to heighten the struggle as much as possible."
Moccio said that she thinks that the appeal of music is going to help more students identify with the cause.
"Music is something that is special for everyone," she said, noting that many students may not be incredibly passionate about the anti-war movement, but will find the music a great incentive to become involved.
Michelle Dar of Portland, Ore., biked across the country with her partner and three daughters to participate in the protests. They were part of the "bike for peace" that ended in Washington with participants getting involved in actions for peace.
"We refuse to be silent," Dar said. "We'll put our bodies and our families out there."
Dar says that she and her family have been enjoying the nightly music outside the Capitol. Her daughter Tala danced and sang along to the Black Eyed Pea's "Where is the Love?" on stage Tuesday night. Dar finds the enthusiasm of those at the encampment empowering.
"It's tremendously inspiring, and reminds us why we are here," Dar said. "It gives us the courage to do more. The people have had enough. The people are rising up."
Encampment photos from Wednesday, September 26, and Thursday September 27.
AFTER THE MOVE FROM THE WESTWOOD FEDERAL BUILDING HERE IN LOS ANGELES, AND THE MARCH EAST THROUGH THE CITY ON WILSHIRE BLVD, THE ENCAMPMENT CAME TO REST AT ITS SECOND CAMP.
WITH A SCHEDULE PACKED WITH TEACH-INS, GUEST SPEAKERS, FILM SCREENINGS, AND IMPROMPTU CONVERSATIONS WITH WORKERS, VISITORS, AND NEIGHBORS OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA, THE ENCAMPMENT KEEPS BUSY.
THE NOON MARCH ON SEPTEMBER 29, AT BROADWAY AND OLYMPIC IS BUILDING MOMENTUM THIS WEEK CURBSIDE AT THE DOWNTOWN FEDERAL BUILDING IN LOS ANGELES.
Are you ready for the illegal war to drag on past 2013?
The leading Democratic White House hopefuls conceded Wednesday night they cannot guarantee to pull all U.S. combat troops from Iraq by the end of the next presidential term in 2013.
"I think it's hard to project four years from now,'' said Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois in the opening moments of a campaign debate in the nation's first primary state.
"It is very difficult to know what we're going to be inheriting,'' added Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York.
"I cannot make that commitment,'' said former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina. Sensing an opening, Sen. Christopher Dodd of Connecticut and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson provided the assurances the others would not. read full post
Contacts: Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, mclarty@greens.org Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene@gp.org Deanna Taylor, Co-chair, Green Party Peace Action Committee (GPAX), 801-631-2998, deesings@xmission.com Ann Wilcox, GPAX, 202-441-3265, wilcox_ann@yahoo.com
Greens, urging immediate withdrawal of all US forces from Iraq, blast Clinton, Obama, and Edwards for refusing to guarantee withdrawal of all combat troops from Iraq by 2013
Reports, upcoming events at the Encampments to End the War in DC and other cities
WASHINGTON , DC — Green Party leaders participating in the week-long Encampment to End the War in Washington, DC and other cities across the US pressed their demands for an immediate withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, with a plea to Congress to cancel further war spending.
The events, which will culminate in a march and rally on Saturday, September 29, have been organized by the Troops Out Now Coalition <http://www.troopsoutnow.org>, of which the Green Party is a member.
On Friday, video interviews with Greens at the DC encampment will posted on line at the blog page <http://gpax.wordpress.com> of the Green Party’s Peace Action Committee (GPAX).
Summary of Green positions on the war:
The Green Party of the United States has called for full and immediate withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, the occupation of which is entering its sixth year; the party opposes a US military attack on Iran and warns Americans not to believe the new flood of deceptive war propaganda. (more…)
Reference: Raul Menchavez, Northeast Coordinator, BAYAN USA, email: ny @ bayanusa.org
Filipino Artists Gather for DC Concert to Promote Human Rights in the Philippines Don't Use Mindanao War to Increase US Military Aid-- BAYAN USA
Washington, DC-- Responding to the Philippine Congress's implementation of the Human Security Act (HSA) last July, Filipino groups along the east coast will be converging for a concert in Washington DC on Friday, September 28, one week after the 35th anniversary of Martial Law as declared by former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos in 1972.
The concert, organized by the Filipino-American alliance BAYAN USA and featuring Filipino-American hip-hop sensations Blue Scholars and Kiwi Illefonte, aims to bring awareness to the repurcussions of the newly-passed and controversial bill, and connect with the overall issue of increased US military spending to places where US troops are present, such as the Philippines.
The concert will also be featured as part of a one-week encampment organized by the Troops Out Now Anti-War coalition, that will culminate in a march to Capitol Hill on Saturday, September 29th. A similar encampment will also be held in Los Angeles on the same dates.
"The HSA is a disaster for domestic security in the Philippines. It will cause the endangerment and the termination of innocent lives," states Valerie Francisco of Filipinas for Rights and Empowerment, or FIRE, a community organizer who recently returned from the Philippines to protest the HSA.
FIRE, along the Anakbayan, the Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines, under the banner of BAYAN USA, and local DC groups such as Katarungan will be sponsoring the mini-concert set outdoors and following next-day anti-war march near Capitol Hill. The Fil-Am groups have also warned that US-based advocates and supporters of the broad Arroyo opposition under the HSA are also subject to the measures of the state with such a vague definition of terrorism. This comes in light of reports on extrajudicial killings, increase in forced disappearances throughout the country, and a watchlist of names provided by the Bureau of Immigration and Department of Justice jeopardizing travellers from abroad that speak out against Arroyo's domestic policies.
"These days, to oppose the Arroyo regime is the most genuine act of security. To highlight this issue during the Martial Law anniversary is fitting and appropriate, because the Philippines is still under undeclared Martial Law," states Jonna Baldres of Anakbayan.
The groups have also been calling for restrictions on US military aid to the Philippines, in line with its human rights work. September also marks continued Congressional deliberations on US military spending for 2008. Nearly 50 US solons have signed a petition letter calling for Arroyo to handle the human rights crisis in the Philippines.
In response to a recent US Senate hearing and Congressional deliberations on the fate of US military aid to the Philippine government this pasy year, the Arroyo regime has resorted to deflecting possible aid reduction by pushing for an all-out war in Mindanao, the southern-most island, claiming Al-Qaeda cells exist, much to wide public disagreement.
Following the public reports of UN Rapporteur Philip Alston, and Amnesty International, the Philippine military has been identified as the key perpetrating group of extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances. In 2001, President George Bush declared the Philippines the Second Front to the War on Terror.
Since then, the Philippines has remained the fourth largest recipient of US military aid in the world and the largest in the Asia-Pacific region.
For more information or to join the Filipino contingent during the anti-war march, contact BAYAN USA at ny @ bayanusa.org . ###
On September 29, activists plan to join tens of thousands for a massive march on the White House. There are now more than 75 organizing centers from more than 32 states for September 29, and more than 1,600 endorsers.
Now, more than ever, it is vital that we be in the streets to demand an end to the bipartisan program of endless war. President Bush continues to threaten the people of Iran, using (once again) claims about "weapons of mass destruction." And once again, U.S. Congress is unwilling to substantively oppose the Bush agenda in the Middle East.
There are now apparently at least three aircraft carrier groups in the Persian Gulf area and almost half of all the ships in the U.S. Navy are within striking range of Iran. Vice President Cheney and others in the Administration are pushing hard for military action.
"We have all seen that the Democratic leadership in Congress, despite being elected with a clear mandate to end the war in Iraq, has completely capitulated to the Bush Administration. We cannot wait for politicians to end the war. And we can't wait while they plan to launch a new war" documents Stopwaroniran.org coordinators.
"We have all seen that the Democratic leadership in Congress, despite being elected with a clear mandate to end the war in Iraq, has completely capitulated to the Bush Administration. We cannot wait for politicians to end the war. And we can't wait while they plan to launch a new war" documents Stopwaroniran.org coordinators.
Over four years after the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Greens continue to call for an immediate end to this war, and accountability at home. Our Gulf Coast remains in shambles, nooses are hung by white children in school yards to intimidate black children, and immigrant families are rounded up in the middle of the night. As Greens, we must come together to say - the United States needs to get its priorities straight, clean house, and we must bring the troops home NOW! Beginning Saturday, September 22, the Green Party of the United States have a tent set up at the Troops Out Now Coalition’s week-long encampment to end the war, on the lawn in front of the Capitol building. We invite all Greens to come to D.C. and L.A. to join with others to resist the continuing war abroad and demand accountability at home.
Jared Ball of the DC Statehood Green Party will speak at the rally on the 29th http://www.voxunion.com/jaredball/ . Ball is a nominee for the Green Party Presidential candidacy. Green Party of the U.S. Co-Chair, Echo Steiner (FL), will co-emcee the rally in Washington D.C. In Los Angeles, GPAX co-chair, Deanna Taylor (UT), and SKCM-Curry of the California Green Party will speak at the rally September 29 in front of the Federal Building. During the D.C. Encampment on Wednesday, September 26 at 5pm, the DC Statehood Party will lead a discussion on D.C. statehood, affordable housing, and preserving neighborhood libraries.
We honor the courage of those thousands who converged this week in Jena, Louisiana, to call out injustice — we seek to continue in that spirit by calling on Greens to assemble at the halls of power, to speak, to act, and to work together to take our country back for the people.
For information on transportation centers, events like the week of hip hop shows, the youth and student day of action, Impeachment Rally, Stop the War at Home Day, and more, visit www.troopsoutnow.org
To support the Green Party presence at the Encampment and rally, visit the GPAX website at www.gp.org/committees/peace — and use it to let us know you’re coming!
Today, Sept. 26, Code Pink and the Troops Out Now Coalition disrupted the Senate Appropriations Committee chaired by Senator Byrd on war funding.
Holding signs and wearing signs against war and Congressional complicity on war funding, a large group of 30 to 50 people left chanting "Troops out! Stop war! Stop war funding!" An activist from Code Pink was arrested.
The forces involved in the disruption are part of the weeklong Encampment in front of the Capitol reflection pool, that will culminate in a mass march on Sat., Sept. 29. The Encampment and march are demanding an end to war funding and immediate withdrawal of all troops. Events at the Encampment have focused on the impacts of the war at home and abroad.
The "event" is actually a week-long lead-up to the march, starting with an encampment on the West lawn of the Capitol this past weekend, erecting a giant billboard telling Congress to stop funding the war, activism, rally, and a live concert.
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.
