4000th US - 1,000,000 Iraq War Dead Commemoration Candle Light Vigil 7:30 MONDAY 23MAR2008

Commemorate the lives and deaths of U.S. Soldiers and Iraqis

AFSC urges peace supporters to organize events in their hometowns the day after the 4,000th U.S. military death in Iraq is announced.

Together, we'll mourn all the lives lost in this war and call for the troops to come home.

http://www.afsc.org/4000/index.php?SearchTerm=FL&Submit=Search&m=r

http://icasualties.org/oif/

Tallahassee

5 Years Too Many Tallahassee Iraq War 5th Anniversary observation

To commemorate the beginning of the sixth year of the illegal, immoral, and unjust war of aggression against the people of Iraq, local political activists and citizens of all stripes gathered at Lake Ella in Tallahassee on Wednesday March 19th as evening fell.


The names names of Florida's war dead were read to the tolling of a large Buddhist bell echoing through the neighborhoods surrounding Lake Ella.




Groups represented included TNJP, Tallahasseans Who think Its Time To Come Home, Vets for Peace, Vietnam Vets Against War, CodePINK, MoveOn.org and regular citizens including at least two active-duty members of the military.

Turnout was lower than expected due to a driving rainstorm. Still, approximately one hundred turned out to raise voice and witness to the disastrous (pick your adjective) misadventure in Iraq.

See the full photo album on Picassa

More below the fold...

Dennis Kucinich is about half way through the video. Video from www.mobilebroadcastnews.com. There is also video om the website showing some "suits" trying not allow any filming.

Go to www.WexlerWantsHearings.com and join Congressman Wexler's call for Cheney Impeachment Hearings

Sign the petition here...

A Home for the Holidays

What would you do if you lived in one of Henry Kravis' mansions for a day during the holidays?

Would you feed the homeless? Throw a huge party? Sell everything on eBay?

George W. Bush's cover of a classic John Lennon Christmas Song

CodePINK Protest Torture at the White House on International Human Rights Day.

bonus video below the fold, Col. Ann Wright interview...

Report to UFPJ Member Groups on the 10/27 Regional Demonstrations - Nov. 28, 2007 - Below is a summary report on the October 27th regional mobilization effort.

At the end, you'll see brief reports from each of the 11 regional sites, which come from a wrap-up conference call held about 10 days after 10/27. Many of the regional coalitions have by now had de-briefing sessions -- either in-person meetings and/or conference calls -- and have posted more in-depth reports on their regional page within www.oct27.org, or linked to that site. To find those reports, please visit www.oct27.org

The first part of this report is based on discussions within the national staff, the administrative committee and the national steering committee of UFPJ, as well as with many of the local/regional organizers. Hopefully, it is a pretty accurate reflection of what happened and some of the challenges that were dealt with. The report also tries to raise some of the issues and concerns that came out of this experience -- things we need to think about as we move ahead...

How 'bout a little solidarity?....
Pledge Not to Ship With FedEx Ground This Holiday
FedEx has built a successful company on the backs of its drivers while pledging to "never recognize any unions" at the company. Only public pressure will drive FedEx Ground's leadership to stop harassing workers and meet them at the bargaining table. Take this pledge to show your support for the drivers at FedEx Ground.

It's easy: just don't use FedEx Ground for your holiday deliveries this year. We'll deliver the signatures to FedEx to show them we mean business.
Full Petition Text:...

Dennis Kucinich at the SOA

Cynthia McKinney at SOA Watch Event 2007

Twenty Thousand Protest at Ft. Benning
Eleven Face Federal Charges by Bill Quigley / November 20th, 2007

In what has become the nation’s largest annual gathering for peace and human rights, over twenty thousand people protested outside the gates of Fort Benning, GA on November 18, 2007. Eleven people were arrested on federal criminal charges and face up to six months in prison.

Fort Benning is the site of the internationally notorious U.S. Army training school for Latin American military and security personnel. For decades it was called the School of the Americas (SOA) — it is now called the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC). The school has graduated hundreds of military officers who have lead or participated in nearly every human rights atrocity in the hemisphere. Organizations across the world, including Amnesty International USA, have called for its closure since discovering copies of torture manuals used at the school. In June 2007, 203 members of the U.S. House of Representatives voted to close the scandal-ridden school — six votes shy of the margin of victory...

I'm going to Columbus for the demonstration. I'm leaving at 7:00 AM sharp Saturday morning & leaving Columbus no later that 1:00 PM on Sunday. I can take up to 4 passengers if anybody needs a ride. Call me at 402.8436.

Please support Iraq Veterans Against the War and their public investigation of the atrocities occurring in Iraq and Afghanistan. The following statement contains a brief explanation of what IVAW is doing and a statement of support that you can sign by clicking on the link to IVAW's web page.

This statement will be the basis for a national advertisement and will help us generate attention and funds for this project.

They saw it for themselves, now --with your support-- they'll tell it for themselves.

Winter Soldier: Iraq & Afghanistan
In 1971, over one hundred members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War gathered in Detroit to share their stories with America. Atrocities like the My Lai massacre had ignited popular opposition to the war, but political and military leaders insisted that such crimes were isolated exceptions. The members of VVAW knew differently.

Over three days in January, these soldiers testified on the systematic brutality they had seen visited upon the people of Vietnam. They called it the Winter Soldier investigation, after Thomas Paine's famous admonishing of the "summer soldier" who shirks his duty during difficult times. In a time of war and lies, the veterans who gathered in Detroit knew it was their duty to tell the truth...