Posted on 05/13/2003 9:57:11 AM PDT by BillF
[In case IAC changes the source URL, here is link to front page of their site.]
We invite you or a representative from your organization to attend an important meeting on Thursday, May 15th, 2003, at DC33 Union Hall, 3001 Walnut St., 5th Fl., Rm. 2, from 7-9pm to begin planning for a National March on July 4th in Philadelphia. The meeting is being called by an ad hoc committee that includes Philadelphia ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War & End Racism, PRAWN (Philadelphia Regional Anti-War Network), Minority Experience Network, Unite for Peace, and others. For information call 215-724-1618.
The A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition congratulates the local Philadelphia organizations who have come together to issue a call for thousands of people to join in a national march on July 4 in Philadelphia protesting U.S. wars at home and abroad. The A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition urges its Organizing Centers and all people of conscience to be in the streets of Philadelphia on July 4.
Karl Rove, Bush's chief political strategist, corrected a student who challenged him last week by asking how the administration could justify war with Iraq when no weapons of mass destruction have been found. Rove responded: "First of all, its the battle of Iraq, not the war." He then explained that "the war" is an ongoing war against terrorism that has no fixed end date. This is the most explicit confirmation that the Bush administration plans to carry out regime change, either through invasion or stepped up covert operations, against all those who attempt to retain nominal sovereignty over their own land and natural resources. Syria, southern Lebanon, Palestine, North Korea, Cuba, Zimbabwe, Iran and other countries are slated for aggression. We must all come together to support the call of the local Philadelphia organizations in order to ensure the largest mobilization possible.
Following is a statement issued by a number of the local Philadelphia organizations about the July 4 national march. In addition to the July 4 national protest, a number of groups are sponsoring local and regional protests on that weekend. Philadelphia organizations involved in the local, regional and national protests include Philadelphia A.N.S.W.E.R. (Act Now to Stop War & End Racism), PRAWN (Philadelphia Regional Anti-War Network), Minority Experience Network, Avenging the Ancestors Coalition (ATAC), Unite for Peace, International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal, and others.
George W. Bush has been invited to the opening of the National Constitution Center. We need to be there to say No to U.S. Wars at Home and Abroad; No to Colonialism and Empire; End the Occupation of Iraq; No to Racism, Attacks on Civil Rights and Immigrants, the USA Patriot Act and the Shredding of the Constitution; and to Call for Funding of Social Programs - not the Pentagon's War Machine.
The 4th of July weekend offers a great opportunity to remind the world of our determination to oppose the never-ending series of wars in the various forms it is taking against people here and abroad. The Bush wars for empire require a massive transfer of wealth from social programs. While the administration hands out lucrative contracts to Bechtel, Halliburton, and Exxon, and pushes for major tax giveaways to the already very rich, it fails totally to address the problems of widespread unemployment, increasing imprisonment, and cuts in healthcare, education, transportation and housing. The income gap is widening -- the average CEO today makes 531 times the average worker. Repression is deepening --over 2.2 million people are incarcerated, 3,000 on death row and due process continues to be denied for U.S. political prisoners Mumia Abu-Jamal, Leonard Peltier and others. Bigotry is on the rise - thousands of immigrants are detained without trial, Affirmative Action is under attack, and rightwing politicians seem to feel they have carte blanche to attack the rights of workers,people of color, women and lesbian, gay, bi and trans people.
Many people are expressing fear and concern about the direction the U.S. seems headed in with the ultra-conservative administration of Bush, Cheney, Ashcroft, Rumsfeld, Perle, Wolfawitz and the rest. Congress appears unwilling to offer any real opposition, and the Supreme Court seems to be just a rubber stamp for administration decisions. It is up to the people of the U.S., in solidarity with the global movement for peace and justice, to take up the challenge.
Already groups are planning local, regional and national protest, actions and events for the first week of July: Avenging the Ancestors Coalition (ATAC) has a protest for July 3; groups may be protesting the PA state budget cuts slated for July 1; and more.
Let's work together to support these events and to build for the National Protest.
International Action Center
39 West 14th Street, Room 206
New York, NY 10011
email: iacenter@action-mail.org
En Espanol: iac-cai@action-mail.org
web: http://www.iacenter.org
CHECK OUT SITE http://www.mumia2000.org
phone: 212 633-6646
fax: 212 633-2889
To make a tax-deductible donation, go to http://www.peoplesrightsfund.org
LOL! Shrimps-for-brains at it again!
And over half of them will be tourists unaware that they accidently walked into a protest.
Don't look now, but hundreds of millions won't!
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