Soldiers and Civilians Speak Out march & rally in Syracuse

Over 2,500 peace activists attended a march and rally in Syracuse, New York on Saturday, September 29, the largest such event in upstate New York since the Vietnam War. Local papers covered it well today.

Called by Iraq Veterans Against the War and active duty soldiers at nearby Fort Drum, the event was hosted by the Syracuse Peace Council, SEIU 1199 the Student Peace Action Network and was endorsed by the New York Green Party.

A few dozen Greens Party members and Green Party State Committee members participated in key roles as organizers and speakers. Prominent in our Green contingent with several banners were Green Party veterans from Korea, Vietnam and both wars against Iraq. Greens from around the state, including Albany, Buffalo, New Paltz, New York City, Saratoga Springs and Glens Falls attended.

Additional photos from the event can be found here.

Friday DC Encampment update (Ann Wilcox)

GPAX Blog from Troops Out Now Encampment (www.troopsoutnow.org)

On FRIDAY, 9/28 folks at the encampment prepared for a major March Against War at Home and Abroad, to be held Sat., 9/29 beginning with a noon rally.

Friday was Student Activism day, with teach-ins and a contingent of about 50 students marching through the streets of Washington, DC, demanding an end to war, justice for Katrina survivors and end to police repression. They made stops at the US Dept. of Education, Dept. of (In)Justice, and the Armed Forces Recruiting Station at 14th and L St, NW. As they “took the streets back,” the students gained a considerable escort of MPD police vehicles, however there were no arrests. Marchers continued along Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues, ending on the Capitol Lawn.

At dusk, TONC campers joined victims of the health-care insurance system and policy-makers at the Lincoln Memorial for the first “Tracy Pierce Memorial Vigil” sponsored by the cast members of the Michael Moore film “Sicko.” Donna Edwards and others featured in the film spoke to the group about their family members who died after being denied health care by the insurance industry; they were also joined by members of the California Nurses Assn who are loyal allies in this struggle. Over 75 people attended this moving vigil - the first of many.

Finally, the TONC Encampment rocked out to the sounds of the Philippine music group BAYAN Philippine Alliance. Their music and poetry opposed repressive policies in the Philippines.

Saturday at 11:00 am, all will gather at the Encampment for a rally and March to End the War at Home and Abroad. Join us!!

Deanna’s Speech for LA

Greetings from Utah and from the Green Party of the United States!

I vividly remember choosing my favorite color at the age of 8 - GREEN. My love of green is rooted in my love for life on this planet.. and so it is fitting that I would align myself the Green Party.

 

I belong to the Green Party for these reasons:

• Social Justice and equal opportunity….

• Ecological Wisdom….

• Decentralization ….

• Community-based Economics and economic justice….

• Feminism and Gender Equity….

• Respect for Diversity….

• Future Focus and Sustainability….

• GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY….

• PERSONAL AND GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITY….

• NON-VIOLENCE….

These are the values upon which I strive to live my life. AND

These key values are precisely why we need to make every effort to get Greens elected!. THE GREEN PArTY **IS** THE **PEACE** PARTY !! We have a congress that cares nothing about our planet or life on it.

So the best way to challenge Congress’s constant approval of invasions and military spending increases is to get Greens elected to Congress.

Thursday update: DC Encampment(Ann Wilcox)

GPAX Blog from Troops Out Now Encampment (DC): www.troopsoutnow.org

THURSDAY at the DC Troops Out Now Encampment featured the stories of Katrina/Rita Survivors. Films including “Welcome to New Orleans,” which depicts the racist military occupation of New Orleans following the storm, were shown. Participants also viewed a short film on the work of Common Ground collective, founded by Green Party member Malik Rahim: Common Ground has organized in the 9th Ward, rebuilding health clinics, community centers, and helping long-time residents return to their community. (www.commongroundrelief.org). Malik Rahim arrived at the encampment Thursday evening, and will be in the area for several days of meetings.

Also speaking were Brenda Stokely of the New York Katrina/Rita Solidarity Coalition and Katrina survivors from Mississippi. They spoke of government neglect in providing relief and rebuilding funds, as well as the lack of affordable housing in areas where evacuees have relocated.

Thursday evening the music and poetry of “Rock the Rulers” continued, well into the night. Some TONC participants went to the Warehouse Theatre in DC, for a special presentation of comedian Sherry Glazer’s one-woman show, “Breasts Not Bombs.” The show was a benefit for the Washington Peace Center.

Friday will feature more discussions, a student gathering, and preparation for the main rally on Saturday. Gather Saturday at 11 am, for rally and March to End the War at Home and Abroad.

GP ADVISORY: Updates on Green Party at Encampment to End the War

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org

For Immediate Release:
Friday, September 28, 2007

Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624,
mclarty@greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805,
starlene@gp.org
Deanna Taylor, Co-chair, Green Party Peace Action
Committee (GPAX), 801-631-2998,
deesings@xmission.com
Ann Wilcox, GPAX, 202-441-3265,
wilcox_ann@yahoo.com

Greens, urging immediate withdrawal of all US
forces from Iraq, blast Clinton, Obama, and
Edwards for refusing to guarantee withdrawal of
all combat troops from Iraq by 2013

• Reports, upcoming events at the Encampments to
End the War in DC and other cities

WASHINGTON , DC — Green Party leaders
participating in the week-long Encampment to End
the War in Washington, DC and other cities across
the US pressed their demands for an immediate
withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, with a plea to
Congress to cancel further war spending.

The events, which will culminate in a march and
rally on Saturday, September 29, have been
organized by the Troops Out Now Coalition
<http://www.troopsoutnow.org>, of which the Green
Party is a member.

On Friday, video interviews with Greens at the DC
encampment will posted on line at the blog page
<http://gpax.wordpress.com> of the Green Party’s
Peace Action Committee (GPAX).

Summary of Green positions on the war:

• The Green Party of the United States has called
for full and immediate withdrawal of US troops
from Iraq and Afghanistan, the occupation of
which is entering its sixth year; the party
opposes a US military attack on Iran and warns
Americans not to believe the new flood of
deceptive war propaganda.

All out for D.C. and L.A., September 22-29th

From this month’s Green Line:

All out for D.C. and L.A., September 22-29th

Over four years after the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Greens continue to call for an immediate end to this war, and accountability at home. Our Gulf Coast remains in shambles, nooses are hung by white children in school yards to intimidate black children, and immigrant families are rounded up in the middle of the night. As Greens, we must come together to say - the United States needs to get its priorities straight, clean house, and we must bring the troops home NOW! Beginning Saturday, September 22, the Green Party of the United States have a tent set up at the Troops Out Now Coalition’s week-long encampment to end the war, on the lawn in front of the Capitol building. We invite all Greens to come to D.C. and L.A. to join with others to resist the continuing war abroad and demand accountability at home. Jared Ball of the DC Statehood Green Party will speak at the rally on the 29th http://www.voxunion.com/jaredball/ . Ball is a nominee for the Green Party Presidential candidacy. Green Party of the U.S. Co-Chair, Echo Steiner (FL), will co-emcee the rally in Washington D.C. In Los Angeles, GPAX co-chair, Deanna Taylor (UT), and SKCM-Curry of the California Green Party will speak at the rally September 29 in front of the Federal Building. During the D.C. Encampment on Wednesday, September 26 at 5pm, the DC Statehood Party will lead a discussion on D.C. statehood, affordable housing, and preserving neighborhood libraries. We honor the courage of those thousands who converged this week in Jena, Louisiana, to call out injustice — we seek to continue in that spirit by calling on Greens to assemble at the halls of power, to speak, to act, and to work together to take our country back for the people. For information on transportation centers, events like the week of hip hop shows, the youth and student day of action, Impeachment Rally, Stop the War at Home Day, and more, visit www.troopsoutnow.org To support the Green Party presence at the Encampment and rally, visit the GPAX website at www.gp.org/committees/peace — and use it to let us know you’re coming!

Update from Ann Wilcox - DC Encampment

GPAX/Friends:

Weds. 9/26 was an awesome day at the Encampment. Folks celebrated some good press: the Washington Post covered Tuesday’s Emergency March to the White House, to Stop War on Iran. The article described the week-long encampment, including quotes from Larry Holmes of TONC.

Weds. the DC Statehood Greens sponsored a discussion on local issues: DC Statehood and empowerment, the closure of neighborhood libraries, and loss of affordable housing in DC. We had a good pre-dinner crowd and excellent feedback on the dialogue. Later, Rick and Michelle Tingling-Clemmons spoke of their trip to Japan with the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Peace Committee, as well as the broader struggle for peace and social justice.

The evening concert was incredible: local artists including peace songstress Mary Shapiro, and Pam Parker and Luci Murphy of the DC Labor Chorus. The crowd sang along, well into the night!

Today (Thurs.) will feature a program on New Orleans recovery, with Malik Rahim of Common Ground (www.commongroundrelief.org) and others. Evening entertainment will continue, from 8 pm to 12 midnight; the nightly show is called “Rock the Rulers”! Tomorrow (Fri) we will have an evening vigil focusing on health care (joined by the cast of Michael Moore’s film “Sicko”), and folks will prepare for the big march on Saturday.

Greens in NY this Saturday: “Soldiers & Civilians Speak Out”

“Soldiers & Civilians Speak Out”
Anti-War March and Rally
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2007

11 am Greens gather for feeder march (place TBA)
1 pm Rally - Everson Museum Plaza, 401 Harrison Street, Syracuse
2pm March to Syracuse University (through public housing and by the VA
hospital)
4pm Closing Rally at Syracuse University (Green Party Speaker at 4:45-4:40
pm)
5-7 pm Antiwar Networking (Green Party caucus, then report to general
meeting)
7:30pm Antiwar Panel at Hendricks Chapel, Syracuse University (Scott
Ritter, Dahlia Wasfi, Jimmy Massey)

THE MARCH AND RALLY DEMANDS ARE:
—Immediate, complete, unconditional US withdrawal from Iraq (including
private contractors)
—Full health benefits for returning veterans
—Reparations to the Iraqi people
—Money for jobs, education and health-care, not occupation and warfare

DC Encampment: Greens Participate in Press Conference

Boston Troops Out Now Coalition <iacboston@iacboston.org> wrote:
A press conference was held Sept. 24 to announce the Encampment and the
mass march on Sept. 29. Larry Holmes of the Troops Out Now Coalition
opened the conference, saying, “The Democrats say they want to cut war
funding but they can’t get past a veto. We know this isn’t true. They
could simply make sure the funding question doesn’t get to the floor.
Meanwhile, Bush is prepared to veto $30 to $35 billion for health care
for children.”

Holmes also discussed the serious threat of a new war on Iran: “Iranian
President Ahmadinejad is being demonized in the media, and we’re not
naive. We know that they are preparing the population for an expansion
of the war in Iraq to war in Iran. But the biggest terrorists are in the
world sit in the White House.”

Rev. Lennox Yearwood spoke about unity in the people’s struggle against
multiple wars: “I’m so pleased to see support here at the Encampment for
the struggle in Jena; I was pleased to hear, in Jena, people talking
about how the bombs in Baghdad are affecting people in the United
States. … If it calls for getting arrested, getting in the way, then
we’ll get arrested and get in the way. Our struggles will continue, but
we will win.” Yearwood was recently beaten by D.C. police at an anti-war
press conference.

Adam Kokesh, Co-Chair of the board of directors for Iraq Veterans
Against the War described his organization’s demands, including
immediate withdrawal of all forces from Iraq, “and when we say all
forces, we mean Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Blackwater,
Halliburton”; and full payment of reparations to the people of Iraq.

Nana Soul of Artists and Activists United for Peace, a TONC member
organization, described the weeklong concert that is being held as part
of the Encampment. “The movement needs cultural inspiration, talent and
creativity. Iraq may be the issue today, but we know that this isn’t the
first time that the United States has invaded a sovereign nation. They
use tools at home like not funding health care and education. We have a
chance to translate these actions.”

Rick Clemens, Ann Wilcox and Joyce Robinson-Paul represented the Green
Party. Clemens, a Vietnam War veteran, stressed: “This war is about
imperialism, about the exploitation of labor power and markets of other
peoples. There is no thing as ending the war without ending the economic
system that perpetuates war–capitalism.” Wilcox discussed the effects
of the war at home in Washington, D.C., where neighborhood libraries are
being closed and thousands of affordable housing units have been lost.

DC Encampment: Report from the Ground

Report from Ann Wilcox of GPAX:

The Troops Out Now Encampment is up and running - and Greens are an integral part of the gathering! TONC is set up along the Capitol Reflecting Pool (3rd St. & Const.). - Thanks to Elena Everett and David Bosserman, the Green Party tent was set up throughout the weekend, and we have a prominent place on the plaza. We have literature and fliers for distribution.

Today (Monday) at 3:00 pm, there was an opening press conference: Rick Tingling-Clemmons, Ann Wilcox and Joyce Robinson-Paul spoke of Green Party values, the war, and the 5 pm Weds discussion we are sponsoring on DC issues. Please join us Weds. to talk about libraries, affordable housing, and DC Statehood.

We can use help with TABLING: especially during the weekdays (Tues? Weds?); if you have some time during the day please stop down to help for a couple of hours. Contact Dave Bosserman to sign up.

Each night there will be cultural performances - we hope to have our local cultural performers involved (drummers, poets, Head-Roc and other artists). Then Saturday, 9/29 is the culminating March (meet at 11:00 am for rally and march). Dr. Jared Ball, GP candidate for President, will represent the Green party, and our Steering Cte member Sarah “Echo” Steiner is a co-emcee of the rally. Both Echo and Elena Everett of North Carolina will be in DC later in the week.

Please contact Ann Wilcox (202-441-3265) or David Bosserman if you have questions about the TONC encampment or our participation. Hope to see you there!!