Decatur, TN – This past weekend, April 19-21, Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) hosted a three-day organizer training in rural eastern Tennessee. Over 50 activists shared skills and strategies as veterans and active-duty soldiers were joined by civilian ally organizations from around the country, including IVAW's partner organization Civilian-Soldier Alliance (CivSol,) One Love Movement, Students for a Democratic Society, The Poverty Initiative, Concerned Citizens for Justice, and many others.

This type of combined gathering was unprecedented for the nine-year-old IVAW and many of the attendees were excited by this new development. “We’re seeing a shift in the overall movement and the world right now, and its making me very excited and inspired,” said IVAW member Jacob George.

Collective liberation was a theme of the weekend. Activists represented a huge range of issues, including anti-racism, education rights, Palestine solidarity, poverty, environment, labor, media justice, LGBTQ rights, healthcare and immigrant rights. Many discussions over the weekend emphasized the interconnected nature of the struggle against war and occupation to other movements. IVAW chapters around the country reported back on work they have done with community groups and labor unions around the issue of mental health care in the community, and at Veterans Administration hospitals.

“The work we’re doing here, the work we’re doing in Maryland, I don't see it as work, I see it as healing.” Said CivSol member Sergio Espana, who organizes for healthcare in Baltimore.

IVAW and CivSol are currently leading a national “Right to Heal” campaign, which demands that the government stop deploying traumatized troops and provide adequate physical and mental health care for victims of the U.S. occupations, and of military trauma such as PTSD, military sexual trauma and traumatic brain injury. At the weekend retreat, workshops and panels addressed the trauma faced not only by combat veterans, but the similar experiences of immigrants, refugees and victims of sexual assault and police violence.

Last May, IVAW brought national attention to the victims of U.S./NATO war and occupation as they joined Afghans for Peace and 30,000 protesters to march on the NATO convention in Chicago. 40 IVAW members returned their medals in a memorable ceremony outside the convention. Some of the veterans dedicated their medals to friends who had become victims of combat deaths and suicide, noting that 18 veterans commit suicide every day, and demanding the government recognize the Right to Heal.

In summation of the retreat, organizers were optimistic about the future of the campaign and its growing support among ally organizations. To learn more about the Right to Heal campaign, visit http://righttoheal.org and http://www.ivaw.org

#DecaturTN #AntiwarMovement #IraqVeteransAgainstTheWar #USImperialism

Chicago, IL – In the largest anti-war protest ever held in Chicago, 15,000 people took to the streets marching against the NATO military summit. Inside McCormick Convention Center, politicians, generals and bankers discussed the faltering U.S./NATO war and occupation in Afghanistan. They also forged agreements that set the stage for destabilizing and overthrowing independent governments in places like Syria and Iran.

Outside, in the streets of Chicago’s South Loop however, waves of protesters marched in contingents with a message against NATO and G8, opposing war and poverty. Protesters were chanting and singing, surrounded by police on all sides. They were in high spirits and feeling their power, knowing their message of opposing war and poverty was reaching across the world to people suffering from NATO wars and occupations.

The day began with music and poetry at Petrillo Bandshell in Grant Park, a park famous for 1960s protests against the U.S. war in Vietnam. Rebel Diaz, Tom Morello, David Rovics and hip-hop poets performed, with an appearance by the Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW). As the crowd began to grow, many taking shelter in the shade of nearby trees, protesters listened to speakers from scores of groups and movements that built for the protest against NATO.

The audience listened closely when Chicano leader and anti-war activist Carlos Montes took the stage. Members of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a big banner reading “Justice for Carlos Montes” behind him. Montes said, “I am here in solidarity with you today, despite being on trial in Los Angeles as part of an FBI frame up. I am being persecuted because of my anti-war, immigrant rights and labor activism. I organized protests against the U.S. War in Vietnam in the ‘60s and I organize against NATO and the U.S. war in Afghanistan today. We were in solidarity with and inspired by the people of Vietnam in their struggle against U.S. imperialism and we act in solidarity with the struggles of the people of Colombia, the Philippines and Mexico today. I call for the U.S. out of Afghanistan and to no U.S. or NATO intervention in Syria and Iran.”

Hatem Abudayyeh, a Palestinian-American, who is one of 23 Midwest anti-war activists subpoenaed to a grand jury investigation and had his home raided by the FBI because of his solidarity work, also spoke: “We are organizing toward the day when Palestine will be a free and sovereign nation, with the right to return for refugees. We call for an end to U.S. aid to Israel and for people here to join us in demanding Palestinian liberation!” A big roar went up from the entire crowd.

Meredith Aby from the Minneapolis Anti-War Committee spoke about the need to get NATO out of Afghanistan and prevent future U.S. wars for oil and Empire. Aby is also one of the 23 who the FBI raided and she asserted, “Being anti-war is not a crime!’

The Reverend Jesse Jackson, from Chicago’s Operation PUSH and a former presidential candidate, called for an end to spending billions on war. He demanded the money be used to fund social services and end poverty. Jackson educated the crowd about poverty in this country, often portrayed in the media as only affecting African-Americans and other oppressed peoples. Reverend Jackson said, “The largest single category of poor people is white women who are single parents with children.” Reverend Jackson used the African-American call and response tradition in his speech, much to the amazement of Occupy Wall Street activists who use a similar technique.

All in all there were more than 40 speakers from students, labor, immigrant rights, war veteran, environmental, housing and healthcare groups. Speakers included Leah Bolger, the President of Vets for Peace, Larry Holmes of the International Action Center and Lisa Grab with Students for a Democratic Society. Many were interested to hear from the Afghan women for peace, and the International League of People’s Struggle representing many international movements for freedom.

There were dozens of international guests who came to the protest, particularly anti-NATO organizations from European NATO countries. The importance of this is not to be underestimated, as NATO is fragile and some countries have already pulled troops out of Afghanistan.

The afternoon march began with a group of Afghan women for peace joined by a large contingent of Iraq and Afghan war veterans marching together. The Coalition Against NATO and G8 (CANG8), the organizers of the march, held the lead banner, with the United National Antiwar Coalition F(UNAC) as a part of that.

A river of protesters stretched across four lanes of traffic and for nearly a mile on Michigan Avenue. Onlookers and whole families came out on apartment balconies and onto sidewalks to film and take photos.

When the march came to within a few blocks of McCormick Place, it was time for the war veterans to take command. In one of the most moving moments of any anti-war protest in a generation, U.S. military veterans made declarations against U.S. and NATO wars and occupations, throwing their medals off the stage and into the street. One war veteran describing his combat experience began choking back tears and saying, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” to which thousands in the streets began chanting, “It’s not your fault! It’s not your fault!”

Other veterans gave impassioned speeches against wars for oil and U.S. imperialism, denouncing the 1% and the U.S. government, while throwing their combat service awards and other medals as far as possible down the street towards the NATO summit. Jacob Flom of IVAW dedicated his medals to Carlos Montes and the Anti-War 23.

The Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) ended the day with an announcement for people to exit to the west, taking note that there was a tremendous build-up of police in riot gear and military-type uniforms. The official show of force was intimidating to people and clearly planned and funded months ahead of time.

The crowds of protesters were so large, however, that it appeared impossible for everyone to exit in time for the end of the permitted Veterans rally. It soon became a scene of police encircling and pushing and shoving a much smaller crowd of people, some who responded in kind and were beaten and arrested. Others were simply singled out for arrest or beaten at random, including a few journalists. The big business media took up this story and these images to attempt to quickly bury the largest and most successful anti-war protest ever held in the city of Chicago.

While the greatest purveyors of violence in the world were meeting inside the NATO summit, the anti-war protesters outside sent a message heard round the world: “Say no to NATO! Troops out now!”

#ChicagoIL #AntiwarMovement #IraqVeteransAgainstTheWar #CarlosMontes #CoalitionAgainstNATOG8War #ChicagoNATOSummit #AntiWar23

Chicago, IL – NATO opponents debated NATO apologists at the Pritzker Military Library in the Chicago Loop on May 17. The debate was sponsored by the National Strategy Forum. Reflecting an attempt to respond to anti-war protests and mass democratic movements like the Arab Spring, the debate was titled, “Social Responsibility and National Security: Towards a New NATO.”

Rick Rozoff of Stop NATO and Iris Feliciano of Iraq Veterans Against the War debated J.D. Bindenagel, a former U.S. ambassador involved in NATO security policy and membership, and John Allen Williams, a professor of political science at Loyola University Chicago, who served with the NATO Inter-Allied Confederation of Reserve Officers. The debate is on the Pritzker website.

The room was packed with media and a sizeable contingent from Iraq Veterans against the War. The Reverend Jesse Jackson, who will speak at the Sunday, May 20 CANG8-sponsored protest in Grant Park, attended.

Stop NATO expert Rick Rozoff stated, “I am not in favor of a new NATO, a kinder and gentler NATO. I am in favor of the abolition of NATO. In my opinion NATO is the greatest threat to world peace.” He continued, “NATO is the largest military block in world history, with 28 member countries on all continents.”

Rozoff continued, “Just a couple of reasons to terminate NATO, is that they are appropriating the exclusive prerogative of using military force from the United Nations and trying to substitute for it. NATO collectively spent $1 trillion on arms expenditures last year as we are in a worldwide economic recession.”

IVAW’s Feliciano, a Marine Corp veteran who served in Afghanistan, said, “Veterans are living by a thread, we are all living by a thread. There are no jobs for veterans here in Chicago. In the face of that, these military expenditures are unconscionable.”

Loyola University Professor Williams acknowledged that NATO is primarily a military tool of the U.S. when he said, “Complaints about NATO are really unfair. NATO is not really an organization by itself. Complaints about NATO are really complaints about the policies of component governments. I think a lot of the objections we are talking about are really to U.S. policy.”

The audience nearly lost its composure when the moderator claimed that NATO is an anti-violence organization. Rozoff countered, “In every instance we have seen of NATO military intervention – Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Libya – NATO entered the fray on behalf of one group of armed belligerents against another group of armed belligerents. They did not bring peace, they won the war for their clients.”

The pro-NATO debaters tried to avoid the issue of Afghanistan policy and tried to focus on those wars that they claim are humanitarian missions.

Ambassador J.D. Bindenagel claimed NATO has the “right of intervention” under the responsibility to protect people from genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes. Bindenagel further claimed that NATO intervention is done with UN sanction and authority. He cited Kosovo and Bosnia to bolster his claim.

Rozoff countered, “The war against Yugoslavia in 1999 did not have UN sanction.” He continued, “Subsequent to that, almost immediately after NATO marched into the former Serbian province of Kosovo with its so called Kosovo Liberation Army allies arm in arm. Within a couple of years almost a quarter of a million ethnic minorities were purged from Kosovo, ethnic Serbs, ethnic Roma, ethnic Gorans were purged, never to return. I don't hear any of the ‘humanitarian’ advocates here saying anything about those people.” He finished by saying, “When NATO wages a war it does so for geopolitical objectives, siding with one side against another in a conflict, that has been its track record for the past 17 years.”

Feliciano said, “Iraq Veterans Against the War will be marching for reconciliation and justice on Sunday. We are here to talk about our grievances and we want the NATO generals to come meet us on Sunday – to acknowledge us. We will be returning our ‘global war on terror’ service medals and expeditionary medals. We have decided as an organization that we do not want to keep these symbols of failed politics.”

She ended, “We withdraw our consent for this war. Withdraw from Afghanistan now!”

#ChicagoIL #AntiwarMovement #IraqVeteransAgainstTheWar #ChicagoNATOSummit #StopNATO

Chicago, IL – Dozens of U.S. military veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan plan to return their medals to the commanders they served under on Sunday, May 20. Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) will lead thousands of anti-war protesters from Grant Park to the site of the NATO summit in downtown Chicago. Outside McCormick Place, the veterans and service members will return their medals to NATO commanders. Veterans of the U.S.-led NATO war and occupation in Afghanistan will march side by side with the group Afghans for Peace at the head of the march organized by the Coalition Against NATO/G8.

“By returning my medals I can begin the healing process,” said Iraq veteran Zach Laporte, a member of the Milwaukee IVAW chapter. “The NATO commanders may not acknowledge us as we return our medals,” said Laporte, “but by making our presence felt in the media and on the ground people will know our story. They will know the real story that the NATO commanders do not want the public to know.”

Through their action on May 20, IVAW hopes to bring attention to the human cost of the NATO occupation in Afghanistan, as well as the continuing effects of the Iraq war. But for the veterans returning their medals, this is also a personal process of healing the wound caused by NATO and U.S. occupations. Speaking to Democracy Now!, Chicago IVAW member Aaron Hughes said NATO is, “perpetuating a failed policy and unfortunately we have to live with that failed policy on a daily basis, and we don't want to be a part of that failed policy anymore.”

Returning service medals as an act of protest was popularized at the 1971 action Operation Dewey Canyon III, organized by Vietnam Veterans Against the War. At that event, over 800 combat veterans threw their medals toward the U.S. Capitol building in protest of the Vietnam War.

Sunday's rally and march against the NATO summit will start at the Petrillo Bandshell on the corner of Jackson and Columbus in Chicago. Entertainment and speakers begin at 10:30 a.m., followed by the mass march to McCormick Place at 2:00 p.m.

#ChicagoIL #AntiwarMovement #IraqVeteransAgainstTheWar #ChicagoNATOSummit #AfghansForPeace

Chicago, IL – A press conference was held here, April 23, with the Reverend Jesse Jackson, trade union leaders and ministers, along with Iraq Veterans Against the War, to announce support for the protest against NATO on May 20 in Chicago. The Reverend Jackson has agreed to speak at the May 20 rally, which will be held at noon at Petrillo Band Shell in Grant Park, and then he’ll help lead the march to McCormick Place, where the war-makers will be meeting. Jackson compared the significance of May 20 to the historic civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery.

In addition, Aaron Hughes of the Iraq Veterans Against the War announced their plans to march as well. Veterans of the Afghan war will return their service medals to the NATO commanders in protest of the War on Terror which has cost the lives of hundreds of thousands. Hughes said, “We also must do this to begin to take back our humanity.”

Joe Iosbaker of the Coalition Against NATO/G8 War and Poverty Agenda announced that more unions, representing over 50,000 workers, have endorsed the march in the past two weeks. The unions include SEIU Local 1 and Workers United. “It’s a snowball effect,” he said, and predicted that more unions, churches and community groups will continue to add themselves to the list of endorsers.

#ChicagoIL #AntiwarMovement #IraqVeteransAgainstTheWar #CoalitionAgainstNATOG8War

Minneapolis, MN – More than 200 people gathered at People’s Plaza in Minneapolis, Nov. 2, to stand up for the right of assembly and to protest government repression of the Occupy movement around the country, particularly in Oakland, California. Speakers at the rally also denounced a new statement by Hennepin County threatening to end the OccupyMN occupation here in Minneapolis when the temperature hits 25 degrees or at the first snowfall.

Several speakers at the rally expressed solidarity with Occupy Oakland, which called for a citywide general strike Nov 2. Oakland’s action is in response to severe repression last week, when the police forcibly evicted the Occupy Oakland protesters from a park. The Oakland police carried out mass arrests, used tear gas, concussion grenades and other projectiles against them, in the process hitting protester and Iraq War veteran Scott Olsen in the head, fracturing his skull. As he lay bleeding on the street and other protesters came to help him, police fired a concussion grenade to prevent them from helping evacuate him. In the aftermath, the Occupy Oakland General Assembly decided to call for a citywide General Strike.

Ray Camper of Iraq Veterans Against the War and Gerald of Veterans for Peace spoke at the rally, expressing solidarity with Scott Olsen as fellow veterans. Tracy Molm of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression spoke about the repression against the Occupy movement in the context of the broader repression faced by many people who try to exercise their rights to expression and protest.

Nick Espinosa of OccupyMN talked about the new threat from Hennepin County today against OccupyMN. He said, “We need to be clear – this is an eviction notice.” On Nov. 2, Hennepin County officials released a two-page statement ostensibly about winterizing the plaza, but in fact, it was about placing severe restrictions on the OccupyMN space starting Nov. 4., and ending the occupation when it snows or when the temperature hits 25 degrees. Hennepin County’s statement reads:

“As the temperatures fall and/or it begins to snow, it will become necessary that OccupyMN make further modifications to their occupation of Government Center plaza in order to ensure personal safety and allow for snow shoveling, snow plowing, snow removal and snow storage. Once the first significant snowfall or severe temperatures are predicted and the temperature falls below twenty-five degrees, no sleeping will be allowed on the Government Center plazas between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am. At that time, all portable toilets will need to be removed and the canopy will come down.”

In response Mel Reeves, an emcee of the protest, said, “The right of assembly doesn’t end when the temperature hits 25 degrees or at 10:00 at night.” Speakers at the rally decried the announcement from Hennepin County as an attempt to end the Minneapolis occupation. Occupations on the East Coast have continued this week despite a large snowstorm there, including the flagship occupation of Zuccotti Park at Occupy Wall Street.

After the Minneapolis rally at People’s Plaza, there was a spirited march through downtown Minneapolis in solidarity with Occupy Oakland.

The Occupy movement is focused against economic inequality, as the big banks and super-rich get richer while 99% of the people continue to suffer the effects of the capitalist economic crisis: unemployment, foreclosures, budget cuts and stifling amounts of debt.

#MinneapolisMN #IraqVeteransAgainstTheWar #VeteransForPeace #OccupyWallStreet #OccupyMN #OccupyOakland

In April 2010, a video leaked from top secret military files revealed a 2007 U.S. Army helicopter assault on Baghdad where eighteen civilians were murdered, including two journalists from the news agency Reuters. The video created international uproar over the brutality of U.S. war on Iraq and infuriated the Pentagon.

The U.S. government is scrambling to catch the people responsible for releasing the video, trying to prevent further leaks. A second leaked video that is soon to be released depicts a 2009 massacre in Garani, Afghanistan, where 140 civilians were killed in the occupation’s bloodiest massacre. Most of the victims were children and teenagers.

A 22-year old army soldier, Bradley Manning, supposedly confessed to releasing the videos and other secret files to the whistleblower website Wikileaks. Since the video, called Collateral Murder was released by Wikileaks two months ago, it has been viewed by millions, fueling anger over the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Until its release, the U.S. maintained that all the victims were “insurgents.” The video had previously been security encoded and hidden in top secret files by the U.S. government, which refused to release the video for three years, until it was leaked.

Manning was an Army intelligence analyst, stationed at Forward Operating Base Hammer in Iraq. He cited his growing disapproval of the U.S. occupation of Iraq as motivation to put himself at risk to release the documents. Manning allegedly claimed to have released as many as 260,000 government communications that would embarrass Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and thousands of other officials for corrupt deals with foreign puppet governments. This has prompted the U.S. to step up their efforts to stop whistleblowers.

Manning was turned in by an informant in May and is being held without charge at a U.S. military base in Kuwait. Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) released a statement on the incident that says, “If true, Bradley's actions are heroic and he deserves our support.”

Wikileaks Targeted by U.S.

Wikileaks, which is set to release the Garani massacre video, has been the second major target of the U.S. government as the Obama administration tries to maintain some support for the eight-year old occupation. The founder of Wikileaks, Julian Assange, said he is planning to release video of the Garani, Afghanistan massacre “very soon” but would not give an exact date to avoid a government crackdown. Assange says he does not know who the source of the video was, but he said he will defend Bradley Manning.

Lawyers for Assange said he faces a definite threat from the U.S. government. A recent Wikileaks twitter message read: “Looks like we’re about to be attacked by everything the U.S. has.” U.S. intelligence officials have been frantically trying to locate Assange, in order to stop the release of the Garani massacre video and other documents that would expose ugly secrets of U.S. imperialism. Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked Vietnam War documents in the 1970s and was a target of hit men, told Assange to keep his location a secret. “I think he would not be safe, even physically, entirely wherever he is,” Ellsberg said.

U.S. Cracks Down on Whistleblowers

“The Obama administration is proving more aggressive than the Bush administration in seeking to punish unauthorized leaks,” according to the New York Times, “In 17 months in office, President Obama has already outdone every previous president in pursuing leak prosecutions.”

In 2008, the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Center named Wikileaks a national security threat, in a secret document that was ultimately leaked to Wikileaks. In the same year, federal courts attempted to shut down the website after it released a secret set of operation instructions from the infamous Guantánamo Bay ‘detention center.’ The website easily worked around the attack, which only disabled their domain name. The U.S. government is now ramping up their efforts to stop the flow of information which is greatly damaging public support of U.S. occupations worldwide.

This month, the U.S. Senate will consider a bill dubbed “the internet kill switch” which would allow the president to seize control of the internet and shut it off completely in case of a “national cyber emergency.” This bill comes just as Wikileaks promises to release the Garani massacre video online.

The Occupation Continues

More massacres are likely, with nearly 100,000 troops in Afghanistan, now more than in Iraq. The military is escalating war on the Afghan people, but have been unable to hold any ground to the resistance fighters, who control huge amounts of the country. The approval ratings of the occupations continue to fall, as more troops are deployed and more troops are killed. While the U.S. is unable to manufacture a positive image of the occupation, they are increasingly relying on censorship, by restricting information from leaving combat zones. Whistleblowers like Manning and Assange will continue to play an important role in defeating U.S. cover-ups. Ultimately, the occupations will not be allowed to continue. The only answer for the Afghan people is complete and immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces.

#UnitedStates #AntiwarMovement #Afghanistan #Iraq #IraqVeteransAgainstTheWar #WikiLeaks #GaraniMassacre #BradleyManning #CollateralMurder #IVAW #JulianAssange #Asia

These are statements from some of the many people who will protest against the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, MN on September 1-4, 2008.

Carlos Montes, Latinos Against War

I am marching on the RNC to unite with thousands of people who will be there to expose the Bush-McCain politics of war, racism and anti-immigrant attacks. I am marching to represent the Chicano-Mexicano people's struggle for self-determination and equality. Our struggle has a long history of resistance to U.S. oppression of our land, culture and economic and political power. We

as Chicanos stand in solidarity with the people of Iraq in their fight against U.S. occupation. The RNC agenda represents a pro-corporate anti-people politic. It is also an agenda that promotes the increased attacks and oppression against Chicanos and Mexicanos in our own homeland in the Southwest U.S. and other major cities.

Anh Pham, Anti War Committee, MN

When I first started protesting, it was amazing to me how much it mattered to other anti-war protesters; especially those who protested the U.S. war in Viet Nam War, to have me – a Vietnamese American woman join them. When I had the chance to go to Palestine after the start of the second intifada, I was deeply moved and inspired by the Palestinian people's struggle for the right of return and an end to the occupation. They saw their struggle as part of a whole movement against injustice worldwide. Drawing inspiration from them and others that I know are in the struggle with me, I march on the RNC to say no to the Republican agenda, no to racism and to any agenda that seeks to oppress the many to serve the needs of the few.

Steff Yorek, Freedom Road Socialist Organization

I am marching on the RNC to stop the war in Iraq and to defeat the Republican agenda. U.S imperialism is devastating the Iraqi people. John McCain is an advocate of war and occupation. A movement in this country to oppose the war and defeat McCain will help the Iraqi people free themselves. I am also marching to stop the devastation that capitalism is causing here at home. Homelessness and hunger are rising and New Orleans is still a disaster three years later. The rich care nothing about the people of this country and the Republicans are a big

part of that.

Hatem Abudayyeh

As a Palestinian Arab who was born and raised in this country, I have seen nothing but death, destruction and catastrophe for my people in Palestine, the rest of the Arab world and here in the U.S. Although these U.S. government policies have been consistent throughout both parties' administrations, this past era has possibly been the most devastating in generations for Palestinians and Arabs. So we must all march on the RNC, demand an end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, demand self-determination, the Right of Return and liberation for the Palestinian people, and demand an end to all U.S. aid to Israeli occupation and colonization.

Larry Davis, Teamsters Local 743 Vice-President

There are a number of issues important to us – the Employee Free Choice Act, health care for everyone. The United States is a very rich country and everyone in America should have health care. Fair trade. Full equality for everyone – all workers in America should be treated fairly regardless to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or where they were born. We believe in affirmative action. The next president needs to support affirmative action as well as enact an affirmative action program. End the war – the human cost and the cost to America's economy are far too great.

Juzel Sanders, Welfare Rights Committee

The Poor People's Contingent at the RNC march is very important because it's time that we let these beasts in office hear what America is really thinking. We are tired of being poor, hunger, stressed and dying because we're living off of they feel is 'fare.' We have a chance to make history in more ways than one.This is the time that we all have to stand together and fight. It's time for a change and only we can make that change, so let's stand and march for us. Make them understand that we need money for human needs, not for war!

Guillermo Rafael Cohen, Colombia Action Network

This past June, President Bush said he had to handle many disasters, referring to Hurricane Katrina, the housing and financial crisis and the oil crisis. Nevertheless, I say Bush and the Republicans have been a great disaster for Latin America, especially promoting Plan Colombia and war against the poor. In his support for the corrupt, narco-trafficking President of Colombia, Bush said, “President Uribe has done everything we asked for and more.” We do not want more of the same, so we are protesting the Republicans and McCain in Saint Paul.

Jacob Flom, member Iraq Veterans against the War, Milwaukee Wisconsin

I'm attending the mass protests of the RNC to join and support the majority of Americans who are opposed to the Republican agenda. As a veteran I experienced the costs of the ongoing occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. I saw friends and co-workers die, commit suicide, receive debilitating injuries and suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), drug abuse, and alcoholism. The massive amount of suffering experienced by the Iraqis, soldiers and their families made me look deeper into the root causes for war. The occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan are not wars on terrorists, but occupations designed and executed to fill the pockets of American corporations.

Chapin Gray, SDS Tuscaloosa AL

Our chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), like many other chapters across the country, will be skipping classes to make the long trek to Saint Paul to face the Republicans head on. We're determined to show McCain that we refuse to be silenced by the increased repression we face from our own schools in this post 911 era and that we as students are a powerful force in the anti-war movement who will continue to fight to end the occupation of Iraq.

#StPaulMN #SaintPaulMN #AntiwarMovement #ImmigrantRights #PoorPeoplesMovements #StudentMovement #Labor #News #WelfareRightsCommittee #SDS #Palestine #Colombia #RepublicanNationalConvention2008 #AfricanAmerican #ChicanoLatino #AntiWarCommittee #IraqVeteransAgainstTheWar #ColombiaActionNetwork #LatinosAgainstWar #TeamstersLocal743 #FreedomRoadSocialistOrganization

The event gathered at the Martin Luther King Center and was followed a march to the State Capitol building for a closing rally.

Phyllis Walker, president of AFSCME Local 3800, told the crowd, “Every step of the way, the war in the Middle East has been accompanied by a war on the working people of this country.”

A statement issued by organizers says in part, “This year marks the sixth anniversary of the war in Iraq. While there is talk of withdrawal, the U.S. government is committed to keeping most of the troops in Iraq this year and 50,000 troops there for years to come after the ‘final’ troop pull-out in December 2010. The withdrawal plan being discussed by Washington does not end the war and occupation; it seeks to continue the U.S. presence in Iraq until a stable client regime is established. The occupation of Iraq must come to an end, the people of Iraq and the people of the U.S. want U.S. troops out.”

The statement also noted, “The war in Afghanistan is not the ‘good’ war. It is another horrendous war and occupation that must be ended. The U.S. government has announced plans to send 17,000 additional troops to Afghanistan and is contemplating more troop deployments in the future. There are also increasing levels of U.S. military action in Pakistan, which will create greater instability and more threats to U.S. national security.”

Marie Braun of the Twin Cities Peace Campaign-Focus on Iraq, said, “While we are being told that violence in Iraq is down, the situation for ordinary people in Iraq has not changed. After six years of war and occupation, the Iraqi people are still without electricity, clean water or basic medical care. Sewage stands in the streets. Reconstruction efforts are minimal. There is little security, and, according to a recent study by Oxfam, Iraqi women were worse off in 2008 than they were in 2006 and 2007 and they expect the situation to further deteriorate in 2009. The occupation of Iraq must come to an end so that the Iraqi people can determine their own future and begin rebuilding their country and their lives.”

The Saint Paul protest was organized by the Iraq Peace Action Coalition and supported by many organizations, including Iraq Veterans Against the War, Military Families Speak Out, Twin Cities Peace Campaign-Focus on Iraq, Anti-War Committee, AFSCME Local 3800, Women Against Military Madness, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Youth Against War & Racism, Minnesota Coalition for a People's Bail Out, AFL-CIO Retiree Council and others.

#StPaulMN #AntiwarMovement #News #Afghanistan #Iraq #IraqVeteransAgainstTheWar #antiwarMarch #USWarsAndOccupations #troopWithdrawal

Tuscaloosa, AL – Applause and cheers erupted in the courtroom at the Tuscaloosa County Courthouse, May 2, when the judge threw out the charges against four anti-war protesters. “As I was waiting outside to give my testimony, I heard the roar of clapping from behind the door,” remembers Tom Keenan, a member of the Tuscaloosa chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). “A mass of people flooded out of the court room, saying ‘We won!’”

The protesters – Jason Hurd, member of Iraq Veterans Against the War and SDS members Alyse Deller, Christine Jackson and Jeremy Miller – were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct after a mock raid in which protestors reenacted a typical U.S. military raid on Iraqi civilians common in Iraq under the U.S. occupation.

The Tuscaloosa County District Court judge threw out the case after hearing what he called “vague and unclear” testimony from the prosecution’s witnesses. The prosecution attempted to prove that the anti-war demonstration was ‘disruptive’ and constituted disorderly conduct.

However, it was clear to the protesters and their supporters that the university was attempting intimidate the activist organization and to silence political speech on campus. For example, one of the prosecution’s witnesses admitted that sororities were allowed to cheer, dance and otherwise cause commotion inside the Student Center without a permit, and yet the campus police were not called. This shows that what mattered was not that the mock-raid was ‘loud,’ but that it conveyed a message about the current situation in occupied Iraq that the university administration found unacceptable.

Since the arrests, the Tuscaloosa SDS chapter and lawyers from the Alabama chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and National Lawyers Guild worked to build a campaign to drop charges against the ‘Ferg Four,’ as the protesters became known, and to fight back against the repressive actions of the university.

David Gespass, a lawyer with the National Lawyers Guild who represented the Ferg Four pro bono, was excited by the acquittal, but frustrated by the attempts of the university to criminalize protest. “It is sad that we have reached a point in this country where exercising freedom of speech becomes a chargeable offense,” lamented Gespass, “and that a decision vindicating that basic freedom is seen as a victory and not the natural birthright of a free people.”

Before the trial, dozens of members of SDS and supporters picketed outside the courthouse, chanting, “Hey, hey, U of A! How many kids did you jail today?” and holding up signs demanding an end to the war in Iraq.

SDS members see the mock raid as part of the effort of students across the country to up the social costs of the war. In recent years, student protests have become increasingly militant, from blocking military shipments out of ports in Tacoma, to occupying the offices and lobbies of war profiteers in D.C. to going on hunger strikes for socially responsible investment at University of Florida.

“This acquittal sent an important message not only to U.A. officials but also to all who think they can silence protest,” said Joshua Weiss, a member of Tuscaloosa-SDS. “They can’t keep us from speaking out against the war.”

“We are very happy with the outcome of this trial and hope that this will encourage others to speak out against injustice without fear,” said Jenae Stainer of SDS-Tuscaloosa, one of the organizers of the campaign to drop the charges. “We are also so thankful for all of our allies in SDS and in the anti-war movement who have supported us since day one and helped make this victory possible.”

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Last week, students at over 90 campuses responded to a call from chapters of Students for a Democratic Society and organized protests to mark five years of U.S. occupation of Iraq. Across the United States, high schools and universities became sites of demonstrations and dissent against the war. Classes were interrupted as marchers chanted slogans and urged their classmates to join them. The demonstration at Rutgers will be continuation of this wave of protests.

Last year on March 20, over 500 Rutgers students walked out from their daily routines in protest of the occupation of Iraq, marched through downtown New Brunswick and on to Route 18, temporarily shutting down the major highway. Named the biggest action on the east coast on the anniversary of the war last year, organizers for this year’s Walkout Against the War expect an even larger, more spirited demonstration. Already more than a thousand students have indicated to organizers that they will participate.

“Education is only meaningful if it translates into action,” remarked Hoda Mitwally who plans to attend the rally. “Students feel that if we take what we’re learning seriously, we have an obligation to speak out. These are our peers that are dying in this war. Just recently, 91 Rutgers-Newark students were recalled to active duty from reservist status in the National Guard. They will be in our thoughts on March 27.”

Adriel Bernal, a Walkout Coalition organizer agrees: “The Walkout shows that for one day we’re willing to disrupt our everyday lives to show that there will be no business as usual until all the troops come home.”

“I think it’s great that they’re protesting,” says Rutgers student Rafay Siddiqui, an Iraq War veteran and member of Iraq Veterans Against the War who recently testified in the Winter Soldier Hearings. “A lot of Marines I know have serious doubts about why they’re in Iraq. Most of them just want to be home with their families.”

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Washington, DC – Over 20,000 demonstrators marched here on Sept. 15 to protest the U.S. occupation of Iraq. At the same time, dozens of demonstrations were held in cities across the country. Initiated by the ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) Coalition, the Sept. 15 protests were timed to coincide with top U.S. General David Petraeus’s report to Congress on the ‘surge’ earlier this week. Bush and Petraeus stated they will continue the war, but the response of the protesters was loud and clear: “End the war now!”

A broad variety of groups and organizations participated in the demonstration. The presence of military families and veterans of the Iraq War was significant, with hundreds of members of Iraq Veterans Against the War present and in fatigues. The veterans gave powerful speeches condemning the U.S. occupation of Iraq and demanding immediate withdrawal. The Iraq War veterans led the march from the White House to the steps of the Capitol building, where they then held a mass die-in to symbolize the more than 3783 U.S. troops and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis that have died in the U.S. occupation of Iraq.

Large numbers of students and youth mobilized to come to D.C., and the youth and student contingent was a highlight of the march. The high-energy contingent brought together hundreds of students from a number of organizations, including Youth and Student ANSWER, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), and the Campus Antiwar Network. The younger protesters held signs and chanted slogans connecting the occupations of Iraq and Palestine. When they passed by the right-wing ‘Gathering of Eagles,’ the students drowned out the reactionaries with anti-war chants.

Mary Leach, a member of University of North Carolina-Asheville SDS, said, “It amazes me that so many people from such diverse backgrounds are here in D.C. united around one thing – ending the war in Iraq – and our politicians still are doing nothing to bring the troops home. Students especially need to get organized and hold these politicians’ feet to the fire.”

At the end of the march, a dramatic confrontation took place when the protesters stormed past the police barricade towards the Capitol building. Capitol police scrambled to erect barricades and form police lines, while protesters chanted slogans and struggled to break through. At one point, police were nearly overwhelmed as some protesters, mainly veterans of the Iraq War, jumped over the barricades in several locations. Police wrestled the protesters to the ground and several were injured. In the end, one 197 people were arrested and at least two people were pepper sprayed.

Veteran of the Afghanistan war and Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) member Perry O’Brien, who was arrested at the protest, said, “This was a great example of what IVAW has chosen to do, which is to escalate our actions from purely symbolic protests to actual sacrifices, including civil disobedience. We can’t just voice our discontent, it’s time to put ourselves on the line to end this war.”

In two weeks another anti-war demonstration will take place in Washington D.C., this time planned to coincide with the passage in Congress of additional funding for the occupation of Iraq. Organizers with the Troops Out Now Coalition expect tens of thousands to hit the streets and demand that Congress de-fund the war.

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