WAR HAS BEGUN
TIME TO WAGE PEACE
THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 2003
SPEAK OUT - OPEN MIKE
MARCH TO FROM YOUNG PARK UP LOHMAN TO TELSHOR AND BACK FOR RALLY.
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We need people to help organize at 3PM. We will do some speaking at 4PM in
the Pavilion in Young Park. At about 4:30 we will March on Lohman Ave. We
have a parade permit, so we will march in the street. As many as 18 cars can be
in the parade, for those who have signs or want to ride not walk. We plan to
take up one lane. Las Cruces Police will be there to help with traffic control
at intersections. We will march to Telshor and Lohman (4 corners) and return to
Young Park. For me the theme is grief and hope. First, the grief that we were
not able to prevent this war. At 4PM we come together to grieve. It is a wake.
Please wear black arm bands.
On March 19th, we stand on the eve of war, a date that will be in infamy.
1. I grieve for the victims of this needless war.
2. I grieve for the men and women of the U.S. military who will fall, when the
U.N. inspectors could have disarmed whatever Iraqi weaponry remained.
3. I grieve for the Iraqi civilians who will be 99% of the casualties of this
war from the U.S. use of nuclear weapons of mass destruction.
4. I grieve a President who refused to listen to the majority of the American
people who do not want a unilateral preemptive war. Surely, after his surge of
brief popular support, like his dad, he will not be reelected.
5. I grieve the death of democracy, as congress is powerless to prevent this
war.
6. I grieve the loss of Civil Liberties in the Orwellian double speak of U.S.A.
PATRIOT act.
7. I grieve the launch of missiles and invasion that may ignite World War III.
8. I grieve my country that believes that this is a bloodless war.
Second, the hope - We are now in a different phase of the Peace Movement.
1. Out of this tragedy the Peace Movement will grow.
2. We will learn the hard way that peace is not achieved
through war.
3. War is a vampire, with an appetite for blood.
4. As people become more Peace Aware, we will grow as a
worldwide, a national, and local movement.
Thank you. David Boje
Co-organizer, www.PeaceAware.com
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Subject: PEACE MARCH: please invite others
|
The reality of the start of the war affects each of us uniquely. It is also
affecting everyone else in Las Cruces. At some level, everyone needs to respond,
and will respond. For some of us, the march tomorrow represents an opportunity
to join together in a peaceful demonstration of our continuing resolve to
support nonviolent solutions to conflicts throughout the world. For others, it
is an opportunity to affirm that working for peace is patriotic.
It is likely that there are many others who have not been active, but who will
feel moved to participate, particularly if they understand the peaceful
objectives of the march, and that we have obtained a parade permit (meaning that
the police will block off a lane of traffic for us).
If you have friends who have expressed concern about possible war, but have not
been active, please invite them to participate in the march*, either personally
or by forwarding David's e-mail.
For those who have not marched before,
why now?
Because we represent Bush's conscience as he decides how to conduct the war,
and the extent to which he considers or ignores the humanitarian costs of
different options.
Because citizens of other countries, who have been disempowered by Bush's
rejection of the UN, need confirmation that Americans do support peaceful
solutions, even if our President does not.
Because the longer the US continues to act unilaterally, and to destabilize
different parts of the world, the greater the risk of terrorism becomes.
The only person who has to “win” this war is Bush. Our troops, and the rest
of the world, need only to win the peace.
Jeff (Move-ON Coordinator, Las Cruces, and PeaceAware).
|
Subject: Reaction to the war
|
This is a sad day for those of us around the world who believe in peace and
diplomacy. It is a sadder day for the people of southern Iraq. There, those
who still survive to hear it are listening to the sound of bombs exploding
around them and troops advancing with guns blazing. US and British troops
and weapons of mass destruction are loosed upon them, allegedly to obtain
their "liberty." In the United States' Declaration of Independence,
Liberty
is included between Life and The Pursuit of Happiness. It will be difficult
for those who lose their lives in these attacks to Pursue any Happiness,
much less enjoy the Liberty thrust so violently upon them. Those who survive
will have the Liberty to rebuild destroyed cities and contract leukemia from
the depleted radiation left by our bombs. They will be able to pursue
happiness in the blazing heat of the desert summer, likely with no
electricity or water. And I imagine, as do survivors of most wars, they will
be grateful to still have Life as they go about the task of burying loved
ones and neighbors. But I wonder how grateful they will be to us for these.
It is a sad day, and yet we must somehow gather strength and hope from each
other. The protests that preceded and now accompany this war are unique to
the history of our planet. Knowledge of the great numbers of peace activists
around the globe should nurture in us the hope that the day is soon
approaching when reason will win the day over might. Our numbers signal
growth in the level of consciousness of humanity, in the level of caring we
are able to feel for those who are different and even distant from
ourselves. They indicate that many people are evolving beyond the primal
need to lash out from a sense of insecurity. We must keep the faith and hope
that one day this higher level of consciousness and caring will be embodied
by those who control the political power in this country and others that
wield great military might. Speeches like that on the Senate floor yesterday
by Senator Robert Byrd denouncing the war are a flicker of that hope. Now we
just need to use our voting power to ensure that the people of conscience
not only march in the streets, but dominate the House and Senate. We need to
ensure that more of our representatives, including the president, believe in
and work for peace and diplomacy rather than simply giving them lip service.
Once that is achieved, the US can serve as a peacemaking force in the world
rather than a bully with massive military might that answers to no one.
While we work towards this, may the casualties be few on both sides and this
nightmare soon be over. - Liz
| Subject: a citizens' declaration |
The outbreak of war is not the end of the fight for peace -- only the
beginning. Around the globe, people are joining together in the
declaration below. We will be announcing it in a press conference on Friday, and
we need your help to make it as big as possible.
Signing up will only take a minute of your time, but it'll send a message
that the momentum built through our opposition to war in Iraq will only keep
growing.
You can sign up at: http://www.moveon.org/declaration
Here's the text of the Declaration: ------------ A CITIZENS' DECLARATION As a
US-led invasion of Iraq begins, we, the undersigned citizens of many countries,
reaffirm our commitment to addressing international conflicts through the rule
of law and the United Nations. By joining together across countries and
continents, we have emerged as a new force for peace. As we grieve for the
victims of this war, we pledge to redouble our efforts to put an end to the Bush
Administration's doctrine of pre-emptive attack and the reckless use of military
power. ------------ Thank you - Barb (of PeaceAware).
Sen. Robert Byrd: Today I Weep for My Country
A Letter from Michael Moore to George W. Bush on the Eve of
War
by Michael Moore
George W. Bush
1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, DC
Dear Governor Bush:
So today is what you call "the moment of truth," the day that
"France and the rest of world have to show their cards on the table."
I'm glad to hear that this day has finally arrived.
Because, I gotta tell ya, having survived 440 days of your lying and conniving,
I wasn't sure if I could take much more. So I'm glad to hear that today is Truth
Day, 'cause I got a few truths I would like to share with you:
1. There is virtually NO ONE in America (talk radio nutters and Fox News aside)
who is gung-ho to go to war. Trust me on this one. Walk out of the White House
and on to any street in America and try to find five people who are PASSIONATE
about wanting to kill Iraqis. YOU WON'T FIND THEM! Why? 'Cause NO Iraqis have
ever come here and killed any of us!
No Iraqi has even threatened to do that. You see, this is how we average
Americans think: If a certain so-and-so is not perceived as a threat to our
lives, then, believe it or not, we don't want to kill him! Funny how that works!
2. The majority of Americans -- the ones who never elected you -- are not fooled
by your weapons of mass distraction. We know what the real issues are that
affect our daily lives -- and none of them begin with I or end in Q. Here's what
threatens us: two and a half million jobs lost since you took office, the stock
market having become a cruel joke, no one knowing if their retirement funds are
going to be there, gas now costs almost two dollars -- the list goes on and on.
Bombing Iraq will not make any of this go away. Only you need to go away for
things to improve.
3. As Bill Maher said last week, how bad do you have to suck to lose a
popularity contest with Saddam Hussein? The whole world is against you, Mr.
Bush. Count your fellow Americans among them.
4. The Pope has said this war is wrong, that it is a SIN. The Pope! But even
worse, the Dixie Chicks have now come out against you! How bad does it have to
get before you
realize that you are an army of one on this war? Of course, this is a war you
personally won't have to fight. Just like when you went AWOL while the poor were
shipped to Vietnam in your place.
5. Of the 535 members of Congress, only ONE (Sen. Johnson of South Dakota) has
an enlisted son or daughter in the armed forces! If you really want to stand up
for America, please send your twin daughters over to Kuwait right now and let
them don their chemical warfare suits. And let's see every member of Congress
with a child of military age also sacrifice their kids for this war effort.
What's that you say? You don't THINK so? Well, hey, guess what -- we don't think
so either!
6. Finally, we love France. Yes, they have pulled some royal screw-ups. Yes,
some of them can pretty damn annoying. But have you forgotten we wouldn't even
have this country known as America if it weren't for the French? That it was
their help in the Revolutionary War that won it for us? That our greatest
thinkers and founding fathers -- Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, etc. -- spent
many years in Paris where they refined the concepts that lead to our Declaration
of Independence and our Constitution? That it was France who gave us our Statue
of Liberty, a Frenchman who built the Chevrolet, and a pair of French brothers
who invented the movies? And now they are doing what only a good friend can do
-- tell
you the truth about yourself, straight, no b.s. Quit pissing on the French and
thank them for getting it right for once. You know, you really should have
traveled more (like once) before you took over. Your ignorance of the world has
not only made you look stupid, it has painted you into a corner you can't get
out of.
Well, cheer up -- there IS good news. If you do go through with this war, more
than likely it will be over soon because I'm guessing there aren't a lot of
Iraqis willing to lay down their lives to protect Saddam Hussein. After you
"win" the war, you will enjoy a huge bump in the popularity polls as
everyone loves a winner -- and who doesn't like to see a good ass-whoopin' every
now and then (especially when it 's some third world ass!). So try your best to
ride this victory all the way to next year's election. Of course, that's still a
long ways away, so we'll all get to have a good hardy-har-har while we watch the
economy sink even further down the toilet!
But, hey, who knows -- maybe you'll find Osama a few days before the election!
See, start thinking like THAT! Keep hope alive! Kill Iraqis -- they got our
oil!!
Yours, Michael Moore
www.michaelmoore.com
ACT NOW TO IMPEACH GEORGE W. BUSH
Vote to Impeach War Criminal George Warmonger Bush
View the Articles of Impeachment, Drafted by former U.S. Attorney
General Ramsey Clark