FREE SPEECH VICTORY DC COPS FORCED TO PAY AND TRAIN !
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Partnership for Civil Justice Reaches Settlement for Protest Arrests Each Plaintiff to Receive $50,000 (plus attorneys fees and costs) DC MPD Forced to Train Officers in Free Speech Protections
The Partnership for Civil Justice has reached a settlement with the District of Columbia over the false arrests and abusive detention of four people who were swept up by the police in a political round-up on September 27, 2002 at Vermont and K Streets N.W. during a protest against the IMF/World Bank and the then-threatened war in Iraq. The police sprung pop-up police lines, trapped, surrounded and detained dozens of protestors, legal observers and passersby. Those arrested were held overnight, tied wrist to ankle in stress and duress positions.
Each of the four arrestees will received $50,000 from the District of Columbia. The total monetary award will be substantially larger as the District has agreed to additionally make payment for attorneys fees and costs for the approximately four years of litigation.
The settlement obligates the District of Columbia to provide, and document, training to all officers employed within the Special Operations Division, the specialized unit within the MPD which is assigned to protest activity. The training and documentation required to be provided to SOD officers will include warnings that no officer may arrest any protestor for parading or demonstrating without a permit, detailed descriptions of new restrictions on the use of police lines, new rules that prohibit the SOD from requiring protestors to have a permit and from sending protest organizers to other agencies for secondary permits (a tactic the SOD has routinely used to prevent or frustrate protest), as well as the rights of protestors to engage in free speech without unlawful police interference.
In order to ensure accountability and responsibility, each SOD officer must sign a written statement attesting that he or she has received written notice of the provisions of the First Amendment Rights and Police Standards Act which sets forth restrictions and obligations upon the police in the context of free speech activities. The documentation will be required to be maintained at the SOD. The First Amendment Rights and Police Standards Act was enacted by the D.C. Council in response to this and other cases detailing widespread violations of the constitutional rights of protestors in Washington, D.C.
Each of the four plaintiffs will have their arrest records expunged. The arrests will be effectively declared a legal nullity or non-occurrence.
The plaintiffs in this case are Jeffrey Barham and Miles Swanson, who at the time of the their arrests were acting as National Lawyers Guild Legal Observers with the plainly recognizable bright green caps; Brian McAteer, who at the time of his arrest was a high school student, and was filming the activity; and Laury Saligman, a bicycle racer who had paused to rest from her training routine and observe the protests when she was grabbed and thrown off her bike and arrested by DC police.
This case was litigated by Carl Messineo and Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, co-founders of the Partnership for Civil Justice. The PCJ is currently litigating the class action lawsuit also stemming from September 27, 2002 arrests of nearly 400 persons who were in Pershing Park. That lawsuit, Barham, et al. v. District of Columbia, et al. remains pending.
There is also a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of others who were arrested in the vicinity of Vermont and K that is being handled by other attorneys, including those affiliated with the local D.C. American Civil Liberties Union. The PCJ is not responsible for that litigation.
The Partnership for Civil Justice is a public interest law firm based in Washington DC that litigates civil rights and constitutional rights cases, and has filed a series of lawsuits challenging the District of Columbia M.P.D.'s unconstitutional tactics to disrupt lawful protest and assembly and unlawfully use mass arrests as a means to sweep political activists off the street and truncate demonstration activity. The Partnership's litigation first exposed the use of the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Forces against political dissenters, and revealed that the DC MPD had been carrying out an illegal ongoing domestic spying operation in which officers are sent on long-term assignments to pose as political activists. PCJ's First Amendment litigation has been featured on NOW with Bill Moyers and in the movie Unconstitutional
By Kelly Kennedy - Staff writer Posted : Tuesday Feb 27, 2007 22:09:20 EST
Soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center's Medical Hold Unit say they have been told they will wake up at 6 a.m. every morning and have their rooms ready for inspection at 7 a.m., and that they must not speak to the media.
"Some soldiers believe this is a form of punishment for the trouble soldiers caused by talking to the media," one Medical Hold Unit soldier said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
It is unusual for soldiers to have daily inspections after Basic Training.
Soldiers say their sergeant major gathered troops at 6 p.m. Monday to tell them they must follow their chain of command when asking for help with their medical evaluation paperwork, or when they spot mold, mice or other problems in their quarters.
They were also told they would be moving out of Building 18 to Building 14 within the next couple of weeks. Building 14 is a barracks that houses the administrative offices for the Medical Hold Unit and was renovated in 2006. It's also located on the Walter Reed Campus, where reporters must be escorted by public affairs personnel. Building 18 is located just off campus and is easy to access.
The soldiers said they were also told their first sergeant has been relieved of duty, and that all of their platoon sergeants have been moved to other positions at Walter Reed. And 120 permanent-duty soldiers are expected to arrive by mid-March to take control of the Medical Hold Unit, the soldiers said.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Army public affairs did not respond to a request sent Sunday evening to verify the personnel changes.
The Pentagon also clamped down on media coverage of any and all Defense Department medical facilities, to include suspending planned projects by CNN and the Discovery Channel, saying in an e-mail to spokespeople: "It will be in most cases not appropriate to engage the media while this review takes place," referring to an investigation of the problems at Walter Reed.
Help Leftbooks.com Support March 12 Washington, DC Encampment to Stop the War
Cut Off All War Funding
End War
Bring Troops Home Now!!
What in blazes does this have to do with an online bookstore? At leftbooks.com that's the point - to read for the purpose of making real change. What change could be more important than helping to end a war that's taken hundreds of thousands of Iraqi lives and the lives of our youth and robbed us of basic necessities of life - like health care, jobs, and schools right here at home.
One week before the March 17 march on the Pentagon, the Troops Out Now Coalition is organizing the encampment in Washington, DC on the mall directly in front of the Capitol building from March 12 to as-long-as-it-takes. This action will involve hundreds, maybe thousands, of people from across the country who will camp in front of Congress demanding it cut all funds for the war.
So, here's the deal: You buy the books and we'll donate all, that's right, ALL the proceeds to the Troops Out Now Coalition encampment fund to ensure that as many people as possible can participate in this most important action. See the link to the Encampment website at the bottom of this email. But, not until you've seen the great selection of dvd's and books offered, of course.
And remember, as usual at leftbooks, you get FREE SHIPPING*!! (with every order of $50 or more). AND feel good knowing your money goes toward the movement for social and economic justice and against war.
Rogue State A Guide to the World's Only Superpower
William Blum
From the cover: Suggesting to Americans that their country has a compelling lust for political, economic and military hegemony over the rest of the world, divorced from any moral considerations, is akin to telling them of one's UFO abduction, except that they're more likely to believe the abduction story.
William Blum has compiled evidence that will make believers of such skeptics. In Rogue State, he shows that "close encounters" between the United States and alien nations have demonstrably been the cruelest kind.
"Bravo! A vivid, well-aimed critique of the evils of US global interventionism, a superb antidote to officaldom's lies and propaganda." —Michael Parenti
Legacy of Torture (dvd) The War Against the Black Liberation Movement
On Jan. 23, 2007, after a two-year witch hunt by local, state and federal police, six former Bay Area Black Panther Party organizers were arrested: Richard Brown, Richard O'Neal, Francisco Torres, Ray Boudreaux, Hank Jones and Harold Taylor.
Two well-known political prisoners, Herman Bell and Jalil Muntaqin (Anthony Bottom), part of the New York Three who were falsely accused and convicted of killing two New York City policemen, have also been accused and indicted. John Bowman, the ninth target of the two-year-long grand jury witch hunt, died in December. This Freedom Archives DVD documents the torture of several of the arrested activists—Bowman, Jones, and Taylor—at the hands of the New Orleans Police Department in 1973.
The video also captures the level of police brutality, assassinations and abuse suffered by the Black community during the 1960s and 1970s.The Freedom Archives, 28 minutes
Bacardi The Hidden War By Hernando Calvo Ospina Preface by James Petras
In this book, investigative journalist Hernando Calvo Ospina brings to light the commercial and political activities of the Bacardí empire to reveal its role in fostering the 40-year-long confrontation between the U.S. and the revolutionary government of Cuba. Calvo Ospina reveals how directors and shareholders of the family-owned firm have aggressively worked to undermine the Castro government. He explores how they have been implicated in supporting paramilitary organizations that have carried out terrorist attacks, and reveals their links to the extreme right-wing Cuban-American Foundation that supported Ronald Reagan's Contra war in Nicaragua.
This book explains the company's hand in promoting special interest legislation against its competitor, Havana Club Rum, which is manufactured in Cuba and promoted by the European company Pernod-Ricard. Calvo Ospina reveals the implications of Bacardi's involvement in this growing dispute that threatens to create a trade war between America and Europe. Exploring the Bacardi empire's links to the CIA, as well as its inside links with the Bush administration, this fascinating and readable account shows how multinational companies act for political as well as economic interests.
Soft cover, 120pp, Index, Notes
Life & Debt (dvd) A Film by Stephanie Black
Jamaica, land of sea, sand and sun... and a prime example of the complexities of economic globalization on the world's developing countries.
With twenty-five years of "help" from the International Monetary fund (IMF) and the World Bank intended to bring Third World nations such as Jamaica into the fold of free market economies, these "restructuring policies" have crippled Jamaica's efforts toward self-reliant development while enriching the lenders. This scathing film is an unapologetic look at the "new world order" from the point of view of Jamaican workers and farmers, as well as government and policy officials.
Featuring a dynamic reggae soundtrack and a searing voice over based on text by Jamaica Kincaid as well as interviews with former Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley, Deputy Director of the IMF Stanley Fisher and President of Haiti Jean Bertrand Aristide, Life and Debt portrays the relationship between Jamaican poverty and the practices of international lending agencies while driving home the devastating consequences of globalization.
Powerful!...offers the clearest analysis of globalization and its negative effects that I've ever seen.—Stephen Holden, The New York TimesDVD, New Yorker Video, 2001, 86 minutes, Music by Mutabaruka, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Sizzla, Buju Banton, Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, Anthony B., Yami Bolo and many more
The Assassination of Julius Ceasar A People's History of Ancient Rome By Michael Parenti
A people's history should be not only an account of popular struggle against oppression but an exposé of the anti-people's history that has prevailed among generations of mainstream historians. It should be a critical history about a people's oppressors .... Here is a story of latifundia and death squads, masters and slaves, patriarchs and subordinated women, self-enriching capitalists and plundered provinces, profiteering slumlords and urban rioters.
The question that informs this book is, why did a coterie of Roman senators assassinate their fellow aristocrat and celebrated ruler, Julius Caesar? The prevailing opinion is that the senatorial assassins were intent upon restoring republican liberties by doing away with a despotic usurper.
Parenti presents an alternate explanation: The Senate aristocrats killed Caesar because they perceived him to be a popular leader who threatened their privileged interests. Parenti's introduction is titled: "Tyrannicide or Treason."
Provocative and eloquent. —Howard Zinn
Scintillating storytelling and deeply examined historical insight ....An important alternative to the usual views of Caesar and the Roman Empire.—Publishers Weekly
Softcover, 260pp, Appendix, Index, Notes
Chávez, Venezuela and the New Latin America a documentary by Aleida Guevara
In February 2004 Aleida Guevara conducted an extended, exclusive interview with Hugo Chávez, president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, exploring Venezuela's explosive revolutionary terrain post-April 2002 — when Chávez survived a coup attempt instigated by the United States. Featuring a dramatic interview with Jorge Garcia Carneiro, newly appointed head of the Venezuelan Armed Forces, and vox-pops with Venezuelans involved in the country's many social programs, this film affords a rare opportunity to glimpse through the blockade of information imposed by the United States and into a country rich with hope, dreams and…oil.
"A deftly written book... a spellbinding tale." -New York Times Book Review
On May 2, 1973, Black Panther Assata Shakur (aka JoAnne Chesimard) lay in a hospital bed, while local, state, and federal police attempted to question her about the shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike that had claimed the life of a white state trooper. Long a target of J. Edgar Hoover's campaign to defame, infiltrate, and criminalize Black nationalist organizers and their leaders, Shakur was incarcerated for four years prior to her conviction on flimsy evidence in 1977 as an accomplice to murder.
This intensely personal and political autobiography belies the fearsome image of JoAnne Chesimard long projected by the media and the state. With wit and candor, Assata Shakur recounts the experiences that led her life to a life of activism and portrays the strengths, weaknesses, and eventual demise of Black and white revolutionary groups at the hands of government officials. The result is a contribution to the literature about growing up Black in America that has already taken place along sideThe Autobiography of Malcolm X and the works of Maya Angelou.
Two years after her conviction, Assata Shakur escaped from prison. She was given political asylum by Cuba, where she now resides.
Lawrence Hill Books, 1987, Forward by Angela Davis, 2001, softcover, 247pp
And there's much, much more -
Click on your resource for the truth and remember, leftbooks.com was created by and for activists involved in the struggles for social justice and against U.S. war and racism. The money doesn't go to a giant corporation, it goes towards building the movement against war, racism, poverty and injustice.
NOW'S THE TIME TO SHOP - HERE'S WHY:
*Purchase $50 worth of items and receive FREE SHIPPING!!! -
*Free Shipping by USPS Priority Mail in the U.S. only. Expedited shipping, both domestic and international, available at a cost.
Also, remember all proceeds from now until March 12 go for the Encampment to Stop the War. Here's a link to the website: Troops Out Now.
And yes, we're open 24 hours. So, what are you waiting for? Join the on-line activist community.
This was supposed to be the week the Senate got real about winding down the Iraq war. They were *supposed* to vote on taking back the war authorization1 which allowed this whole thing to get started back in 2002. Instead, they're delaying2. Again. So we're bringing back our "Faces of War" memorials to remind the Senate what the true cost of this war is -- the lives of American men and women.
After 47 Senators blocked the last anti-escalation vote, thousands of TrueMajority members flooded them with over 40,000 printed memorials of fallen soldiers. Now the entire Senate has another chance to take a stand, so we're going to remind them all week long to do the right thing this time.
Click here to download and print a photo memorial and send it to your Senators' district offices today.
Americans across the country have been rising up to push for an end to the war, and TrueMajority members have pulled together to keep Congress accountable week after week. It hasn't been easy, and we've still got lots to do to end the war -- but we ARE seeing progress.
The House passed a resolution against escalation in Iraq, and we brought you every word of that debate so you could see where your Rep stood and let them know how you feel. And, thanks to your emails to state legislators, states including Vermont, Iowa and California have passed similar resolutions, adding much needed momentum to this fight.
Last week, TrueMajority members sat down with their Representatives to talk about the next steps in Iraq and urge them to do more to end the war. We gave you the tools to set up and hold these meetings, and you put them into action in a great way. Here's how a couple of them went in your own words:
"I felt heard and that my input was valued and would get to [Rep.] Udall. I was concerned before I went that this was just a meeting that would not go past the staff person. I left feeling very differently."
"There were eight of us at yesterday's meeting...and I am really grateful that they were so well prepared....Thank you again for making such creative use of the internet!"
We even received a call from Rep. Lloyd Doggett's (TX) office, inviting TrueMajority members in Austin to meet with him about Iraq. And, of course, they did.
Our elected officials are listening, and it's important that they hear from us. So, while the Senate continues to stall on Iraq, be sure to remind them about the true cost of war and let them know where you stand. We must hold Congress accountable to Iraq, and we won't let up until we've made real progress to end this war and bring our troops home.
1) Free Speech Victory! Pentagon March Route is Now Set 2) Pro-impeachment organizations uniting for Pentagon March 3) Speakers list for the March on Pentagon
*Please forward widely to friends, family, fellow students and e-mail lists*
Pentagon March Route is Now Set
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Make a donation today
We need to raise $100,000 in the coming days. The contracts for stage, sound and other logistical needs for a mass protest must be paid.
The Free Speech battle with the State of Virginia has been won! The attempt to obstruct the demonstration has collapsed. More than 2,000 people sent letters to the Virginia Attorney General and people everywhere expressed their outrage that Virginia would attempt to create barriers preventing demonstrators from marching to the Pentagon. This could not have happened without everyone's participation. This combined political and legal challenge, waged with the assistance of the Partnership for Civil Justice, made all the difference. Legal and security issues have been dealt with to ensure a safe and secure march for the participation of the whole family. Click to see more logistical informationfor the March on the Pentagon.
Pro-Impeachment Organizations Uniting for the March on the Pentagon
At a meeting of a new coalition of a large number of organizations that are supporting impeachment, held in New York City on February 17, it was decided to mobilize for the March on the Pentagon on March 17 to demand, "End the War and Impeach Bush Now!" The coalition of organizations that have united in this effort is called Impeach07.
The members of Impeach07 are: ..> ..>
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- After Downing Street - Backbone Campaign - Center for Constitutional Rights - Citizens Impeachment Commission - CODE PINK Women for Peace - Constitution Summer - Consumers for Peace - Democrats.com - Democracy Rising - Gold Star Families for Peace
- Green Party of the United States - Hip Hop Caucus - Impeach the President - ImpeachBush.org - Military Free Zone - National Lawyers Guild - Patriotic Response to Renegade Govt - Progressive Democrats of America - Independent Progressive Politics Network - Velvet Revolution - World Can't Wait-Drive Out the Bush Regime
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The breadth of support for the March on the Pentagon is reflected in the 1500 endorsers, including national and local organizations, that are supporting and mobilizing to come to Washington, DC. The lead contingent of the demonstration will include thousands of Iraq war veterans, soldiers' families, and other veterans.
The March on the Pentagon speakers list includes: ..> ..>
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- Malik Rahim, Founder of Common Ground Collective - Cindy Sheehan, Gold Star Families for Peace - Howard Zinn, Author, A People's History of the United States - Ramsey Clark, Former U.S. Attorney General - Melida and Carlos Arrendando, whose son and stepson was killed in Iraq - Congressman John Lewis (Georgia) - Mahdi Bray, Executive Director of Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation - Mounzer Sleiman, TV commentator & Vice Chair, National Council of Arab American - Leonard Weinglass, Civil Rights Attorney - Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, National Lawyers Guild - Jonathan W. Hutto Sr., Navy Petty Office Third Class, Co-Founder Appeal for Redress - Liam Madden, Former Sgt. USMC, Appeal for Redress, Bellows Falls, VT - Anita Dennis, Organizer with Courage to Resist, Military Families Speak Out member - Helga P. Aguayo, Wife of Conscientious Objector Agustín Aguayo - Debra Sweet, National Coordinator, World Can't Wait - Brian Becker, National Coordinator, ANSWER Coalition
If you are organizing transportation from your area for the demonstration and haven't contacted the national office to be listed as a transportation center, please do so right away. We receive hundreds of calls every day from people seeking information on transportation from their area to Washington - be sure that you are listed so that they can travel with you! We also have organizing packets available with colorful flyers, stickers and posters that you can get by calling the National Office at 202-544-3389.
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A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition http://www.answercoalition.org/ info@internationalanswer.org National Office in Washington DC: 202-544-3389 New York City: 212-694-8720 Los Angeles: 323-464-1636 San Francisco: 415-821-6545 Chicago: 773-463-0311 Seattle: 206-568-1661
Encampment to Stop the War Details: Get Involved Now!
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ENCAMPMENT TO STOP THE WAR In Washington DC
Message to Congress: *CUT OFF ALL WAR FUNDING *END THE WAR *BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW
Beginning March 12 in Washington DC (Before the March on the Pentagon on Saturday march 17)
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March 12 Encampment begins directly in front of the Capitol Bldg in Washington DC
March 13 Encampment to End the War
March 14 Encampment to End the War
March 15 Encampment to End the War
March 16 Encampment to End the War
March 17 March on the Pentagon
stay in DC for the Encampment to End the War
March 18 Encampment to End the War
March19+ Encampment to End the War
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WHERE? on the mall directly in front of the Capitol building (3rd street between Constitution and Independence)
WHY NOW? During the week beginning March 12, Congress will begin voting on Bush's request for $100 billion more for the wars in Iraq and Afganistan. If Congress votes to cut off funds, they can end the war now and bring the troops home. If they approve Bush's war funds, the killing, and dying and occupation will go on…it's as simple as that. This vote will be the most important war related vote since Congress voted to authorized Bush to invade and occupy Iraq in October of 2002. The antiwar movement must be there to let Congress know that we won't let them get away with it this time.
Right now, the Troops Out Now Coalition is working with local organizers, churches and mosques, unions, and community groups to prepare for a long-term occupation of Washington by the anti-war movement. Local organizers across the U.S. are organizing buses, vans, and car caravans.
We have a real opportunity if we act decisively--and we need your help. Please contact us by Monday, February 26 --use the "comments" section of the volunteer form to let us know:
Can you come to Washington for the Encampment to Stop the War? On what day can you join the encampment? For how long? Some are planning to come for a day or two, others are staying longer.
Do you have equipment that would be useful for an encampment (tents, sleeping bags, etc.)??
Can you volunteer to take on a task during the encampment (logistics, medical, security, legal, transportation, etc)?
If you live in the Washington DC area, do you have space for people to sleep or freshen up?
How You Can Help
Volunteer - complete the volunteer form at http://troopsoutnow.org/feb17mar17volunteer.shtml and use the comments section to let us know when you can come to Washington DC, how long you can stay, what you can bring, and what tasks you can take on in the Encampment to Stop the War.
Contact your local organizing center and help organize your local contingent to the Encampment.
Partial list of Endorsers: Brenda Stokely, co-convener, New York City Labor Against the War*; Teresa Guttierez, May 1 Immigrant Rights Coalition*; Sharon Black, Million Worker March; LeiLani Dowell, FIST - Fight Imperialism Stand Together; Joseph Parko, founding member, Georgia Peace & Justice Coalition*, Atlanta, GA; Elliot Markson, Veterans For Peace*, Brooklyn, NY; Mona Parsons, Military Families Speak Out*, Mount Vernon, OH; Julie Levine, Steering Committee, Topanga Peace Alliance*, CA; Manik Mukherjee, AIAIF, All India Anti-imperialist Forum, Calcutta, India; The Most Rev. Filipe Teixeira, Ofsjc, Diocesan Bishop, Catholic Church Of The Americas*, Brockton, MA; Louis Lafortune, Member: County Council, Green Party Santa Cruz California*, Santa Cruz, CA; Ardeshir Ommani, Chair, American-Iranian Friendship Committee (AIFC), Armonk, NY; Paul "Zool" Zulkowitz, Green Party Peace Action Comm (GPAX)*, Woodmere, NY; Ivy Nightscales, Shop Steward, SEIU*, Seattle, WA; Amelia Core Jenkins, Code Pink*, Dallas, TX; Ruth Valdez, Chair Social Action Comm., Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Of Santa Cruz*, Freedom, CA; Leslie Feinberg, Co-Chair LGBT Caucus National Writers Union*; Steve Gillis, Vice President USWA Local 8751 Boston School Bus Drivers and Monitors; Minister Malik Shabazz-el Bey, President-General, New Marcus Garvey Movement-Black Panther Nation, Detroit, MI; Paul Kangas, co-chair, Thc Troops Home By Christmas, San Francisco, CA; Ronald Kuykendall, Veterans For Peace*, Asheville, NC; Hasan Tarique Chowdhury, Bangladesh Peace Council*, Dhaka, Bangladesh; Anthony Ehrlich, West Volusians For Peace And Justice*, Barberville, FL; Mark Bradshaw-Miller, Pastor, Westminster Presbyterian Church*, Saint Louis, MO; Paul Gattone, Executive Vice-President, National Lawyers Guild*, Tucson, AZ; Mattie Thomas, Move On*, Brooklyn, NY; Jerry Messick, AFSCME*, Norman, OK; Sylvia Zisman, Bklyn Parents For Peace*, Bklyn, NY see growing list of endorsers at www.TroopsOutNow.org/CutOffWarFundingEndorsers.html
Polls say Americans want out of Iraq but that we don't want to cut off funding for the troops. What's the anti-war movement to do?
John Murtha has come up with a brilliant strategy that improves working conditions for the soldiers and their families, mandates full training and support for the troops, and at the same time makes it impossible for the Liar-In-Chief to continue the madness. The video is a little long, but well-worth the investment of your time:
and tell your Congress and Senate to stop the surge and end the war and impeach, we need to pound them daily with it, so when stuff like Murtha's comes across, they will already have had a sustained barrage of voices that say we want it.
Someone on the Quest blog suggested that the slogan "SHOW US THE LAW" be added to the heading of every web site dedicated to the Ed and Elaine Brown case, so that all visitors, including IRS and DOJ monitors, will see immediately what the case is all about. "GIVE US A CONSTITUTIONAL TRIAL" might be a second slogan, or "No More Kangaroo Courts; Allow Us to Present a Defense" "Convictions Occur Because Defenses Are Not Allowed in Kangaroo Courts."
The idea is to let everyone know right off the bat what the fight is all about.
Fred Marshall
I agree, so I'll be putting this on my Profile Pages!
"SHOW US THE LAW"
Also, get the word out to media, radio talk shows, etc by going here:
The House of Representatives already voted 246-182.
Now it's the Senate's turn to send a message to George Bush, that his plan to send tens of thousands more American soldiers to a Civil War in Iraq is wrong.
That is why I scheduled a rare Saturday vote. However, I just left the Senate floor where Republicans once again voted to block debate on the President's escalation plan.
Over one hundred thousandof you joined me two weeks ago and sent a message to Senate Republicans:Stop blocking debate on escalating the war in Iraq - let's have an up or down vote on the President's plan.
If you already signed this petition, please forward this email to ten of your friends or family and ask them to sign. If you haven't please sign right now:
Those who decided to block debate made a choice: instead of joining the American people in opposing more of the same in Iraq, they essentially gave the President a green light to escalate the war.
Most of the Republican minority voted to protect George Bush from an embarrassing vote because they are trying to divert attention from the issue at hand and tie the Senate in procedural knots. They are hiding behind weak and misleading arguments about the Senate's rules.
In the six weeks since the start of the 110th Congress, the Senate has accomplished so much. We passed sweeping ethics legislation. We passed a minimum wage increase. And we kept the government open for business by finishing up the appropriations process the 109th Congress failed to complete.
Compared to previous Congresses, it's an impressive record of achievement. But there's still one issue that demands the Senate's attention: the war in Iraq. We can't put this issue off any longer.
150+ cities organizing for March on the Pentagon, March 17!
Over 150 cities are organizing buses, vans, car caravans and anti-war trains to bring people from across the country to March on the Pentagon in Washington DC on Saturday March 17!
The National Office of the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition has received an enormous response from people all around the country who are planning to travel to Washington DC to march on the Pentagon on the 4th anniversary of the start of the criminal invasion of Iraq.
Huge numbers will come from every major city on the East Coast, Midwest and South - New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Boston, Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, Atlanta, Birmingham, Charlotte and elsewhere - and from many smaller cities. Gulfport, Mississippi; Muskogee, Oklahoma; and New Bedford, Massachusetts are just a few of the cities organizing for this demonstration. People will be driving from as far away as Denver, Colorado - a 26 hour drive to DC.
Below are just some of the cities organizing transportation to be at the March on the Pentagon, March 17:
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Akron, OH Albany, NY Albuquerque, NM Amherst, MA Andover, MA Atlanta, GA Austin, TX Baltimore, MD Blacksburg, VA Boone, NC Boston, MA Burlington, VT Charleston SC Charlotte, NC Charlottesville, VA Chicago, IL Cleveland, OH Columbia, SC Dallas, TX Danbury, CT Decatur, GA Denver, CO Des Moines, IA Detroit, MI El Paso, TX Fort Lauderdale, FL Ft. Myers, FL Ft. Wayne, IN Gainesville, FL Greenville, NC Gulfport, MS Harrisburg, PA Hartford, CT Hickory, NC
Houston, TX Hudson Valley, NY Iowa City, IA Jacksonville, FL Kent, OH Lewisburg, WV Lexington, KY Linwood, NJ Little Rock, AR Logan, UT Louisville, KY Lynchburg, VA Macon, GA Madison, WI Miami, FL Minneapolis, MN Mobile, AL Montpelier, VT Mountain Home, AR Muskogee, OK Nashua, NH Nashville, TN New Bedford, MA New Britain, CT New Brunswick, NJ New Haven, CT New Orleans, LA New York City, NY Newark, DE Newton, NC Norfolk, VA Ogden, UT Oklahoma City, OK Oneonta, NY
Orlando, FL Palm Beach County, FL Parkersburg, WV Philadelphia, PA Pittsburgh, PA Pittsfield, MA Plymouth, NH Portland, ME Portsmouth, NH Portsmouth, VA Providence, RI Raleigh, NC Reading, PA Richmond, VA Rochester, NY Rome GA Salisbury, CT San Antonio, TX Savannah, GA Schenectady, NY Scranton, PA Springfield, MA St. Louis, MO Stanford, KY Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg, FL Toledo, OH Trenton, NJ Tucson AZ Tuscaloosa, AL Wayne, NJ West Chester, PA Worcester, MA Yellow Springs, OH York, PA
Your donation is urgently needed for the March on the Pentagon
Please make an urgently needed donation today. We must immediately raise funds to pay for the sound and stage at Constitutional Gardens and at the Pentagon and for the hundreds of thousands of flyers, stickers and posters that are being disseminated in nationwide outreach.
Message to Congress: *CUT OFF ALL WAR FUNDING *END THE WAR *BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW
Beginning March 12 in Washington DC (Before the March on the Pentagon on Saturday march 17)
..> ..>..>..>..>..>
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March 12 Encampment begins directly in front of the Capitol Bldg in Washington DC
March 13 Encampment to End the War
March 14 Encampment to End the War
March 15 Encampment to End the War
March 16 Encampment to End the War
March 17 March on the Pentagon
stay in DC for the Encampment to End the War
March 18 Encampment to End the War
March19+ Encampment to End the War
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WHERE? on the mall directly in front of the Capitol building (3rd street between Constitution and Independence)
WHY NOW? During the week beginning March 12, Congress will begin voting on Bush's request for $100 billion more for the wars in Iraq and Afganistan. If Congress votes to cut off funds, they can end the war now and bring the troops home. If they approve Bush's war funds, the killing, and dying and occupation will go on…it's as simple as that. This vote will be the most important war related vote since Congress voted to authorized Bush to invade and occupy Iraq in October of 2002. The antiwar movement must be there to let Congress know that we won't let them get away with it this time.
Right now, the Troops Out Now Coalition is working with local organizers, churches and mosques, unions, and community groups to prepare for a long-term occupation of Washington by the anti-war movement. Local organizers across the U.S. are organizing buses, vans, and car caravans.
We have a real opportunity if we act decisively--and we need your help. Please contact us by Monday, February 26 --use the "comments" section of the volunteer form to let us know:
Can you come to Washington for the Encampment to Stop the War? On what day can you join the encampment? For how long? Some are planning to come for a day or two, others are staying longer.
Do you have equipment that would be useful for an encampment (tents, sleeping bags, etc.)??
Can you volunteer to take on a task during the encampment (logistics, medical, security, legal, transportation, etc)?
If you live in the Washington DC area, do you have space for people to sleep or freshen up?
How You Can Help
Volunteer - complete the volunteer form at http://troopsoutnow.org/feb17mar17volunteer.shtml and use the comments section to let us know when you can come to Washington DC, how long you can stay, what you can bring, and what tasks you can take on in the Encampment to Stop the War.
>Contact your local organizing center and help organize your local contingent to the Encampment. >
Partial list of Endorsers: Brenda Stokely, co-convener, New York City Labor Against the War*; Teresa Guttierez, May 1 Immigrant Rights Coalition*; Sharon Black, Million Worker March; LeiLani Dowell, FIST - Fight Imperialism Stand Together; Joseph Parko, founding member, Georgia Peace & Justice Coalition*, Atlanta, GA; Elliot Markson, Veterans For Peace*, Brooklyn, NY; Mona Parsons, Military Families Speak Out*, Mount Vernon, OH; Julie Levine, Steering Committee, Topanga Peace Alliance*, CA; Manik Mukherjee, AIAIF, All India Anti-imperialist Forum, Calcutta, India; The Most Rev. Filipe Teixeira, Ofsjc, Diocesan Bishop, Catholic Church Of The Americas*, Brockton, MA; Louis Lafortune, Member: County Council, Green Party Santa Cruz California*, Santa Cruz, CA; Ardeshir Ommani, Chair, American-Iranian Friendship Committee (AIFC), Armonk, NY; Paul "Zool" Zulkowitz, Green Party Peace Action Comm (GPAX)*, Woodmere, NY; Ivy Nightscales, Shop Steward, SEIU*, Seattle, WA; Amelia Core Jenkins, Code Pink*, Dallas, TX; Ruth Valdez, Chair Social Action Comm., Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Of Santa Cruz*, Freedom, CA; Leslie Feinberg, Co-Chair LGBT Caucus National Writers Union*; Steve Gillis, Vice President USWA Local 8751 Boston School Bus Drivers and Monitors; Minister Malik Shabazz-el Bey, President-General, New Marcus Garvey Movement-Black Panther Nation, Detroit, MI; Paul Kangas, co-chair, Thc Troops Home By Christmas, San Francisco, CA; Ronald Kuykendall, Veterans For Peace*, Asheville, NC; Hasan Tarique Chowdhury, Bangladesh Peace Council*, Dhaka, Bangladesh; Anthony Ehrlich, West Volusians For Peace And Justice*, Barberville, FL; Mark Bradshaw-Miller, Pastor, Westminster Presbyterian Church*, Saint Louis, MO; Paul Gattone, Executive Vice-President, National Lawyers Guild*, Tucson, AZ; Mattie Thomas, Move On*, Brooklyn, NY; Jerry Messick, AFSCME*, Norman, OK; Sylvia Zisman, Bklyn Parents For Peace*, Bklyn, NY see growing list of endorsers at www.TroopsOutNow.org/CutOffWarFundingEndorsers.html Mistakes, Mismanagement and MoveOn, Slowly Bleeding to Death
