Speaking for the Green Party was Rebecca Rotzler, former Deputy Mayor of New Paltz and member of the Green Party National Peace Action Committee.
I do not speak from script, but will give the
sentiments of what I said at the rally. First, the march went by a building
that houses the Homeless Veterans Program, homeless and veterans should
never be in the same sentence. Why do we have a building that s home to a
homeless veterans program and not a building that is home to veterans? I
was speaking on behalf of the Green Party, the only party that has Peace in
it’s platform, and was asked to bring a message to the veterans. The Green
Party stands behind our veterans, we stand behind Iraq Veterans Against the
War (IVAW) and we stand behind our enlisted men and women who RESIST. When
in office I took the same oath to uphold The Constitution as members of IVAW
did, and they are upholding that oath by not agreeing to fight in a illegal
war based on lies. Last November many people came out and voted for
Democrats believing that they were voting against the War but less than a
year later they have done nothing to get us out of Iraq and all they have
done is put more money into the war. Why? The Democrats are funded by the
same corporations that the Republicans are, oil corporations and weapons
manufacturers, the Green Party does not accept corporate donations.

All right, it is hard to bring back stuff that I was screaming, vote peace
in ‘07 and ‘08, but I did also point out that when I was in office the local
VFW would come to our board to ask permission to hold the Memorial Day
parade on May 30, the traditional day and not the random Monday where
businesses can advertise Memorial Day sales, it may seem like a small
gesture, but now in New Paltz May 30 is recognized as the official Memorial
Day through legislation that I enacted. I know it means a lot to our local
veterans.

Rebecca Rotzler, NY

More photos

Here are some pictures from a memorial we did in Charlotte this past weekend: http://s236.photobucket.com/albums/ff65/dfred99/

GPAX Friends: Just wanted to forward a “final” blog from the Troops Out Now March against War at Home and Abroad, held on Saturday 9/29 in DC. The article below gives the Wash Post take on the day; we had at least a couple thousand people there, and the article fails to note that this march came at the end of a full month of anti-war activity in DC. But that’s to be expected!

Saturday was another sunny and beautiful day. Marchers gathered by the Capitol Reflecting Pool, forming a colorful crowd of students and people of all ages – protesting the war, Katrina, immigrant rights and other issues. A wide range of signs and banners were evident. Speakers including Jared Ball of the Green Party called on marchers to oppose the war, and all social & economic injustice. Sara “Echo” Steiner of the GP Steering Committee co-emceed the rally with her usual energy, and Malik Rahim of the New Orleans Greens and Common Ground also spoke. Reps of Iraq Veterans against the War, Code Pink and other groups also spoke. After a high-energy rally, we marched through the streets of DC, passing FEMA and ICE (customs immigration), bypassing the usual spots such as the White House.

The rally ended with over 100 students sitting in at Constitution Avenue, later blocking both Const. and Pennsylvania Avenues for over 4 hours! DC police stood by as students set up a “tent city” in the street, danced and chanted. Finally, with numbers dwindling slightly, the group decided to declare the protest ended and come back even stronger next time. By 10:00 pm, most of the tents and structures at the main Encampment were also dismantled. On Sunday, many folks attended a BBQ and fundraiser at the home of Maryland Green Martine Zymandis – a perfect end to a week of activism.

War Protest Draws Small Crowd

Participants Cite Public Apathy in Low Turnout
for Rally at the Capitol

By Carol D. Leonnig
The Washington Post, September 30, 2007

Hundreds of demonstrators, including students and
families, rallied and marched in downtown
Washington yesterday to protest the war in Iraq,
complaining that the Democratic-controlled
Congress has failed to do the public’s bidding
and bring U.S. troops home.

>From an elevated stage in front of the Capitol
Reflecting Pool, a succession of speakers at the
“Stop the War” rally urged Congress to stop
funding the conflict and prevent more deaths of
soldiers and Iraqi civilians.

“On September 11, I witnessed almost 3,000 people
killed in New York,” said John Graham, a
volunteer emergency medical technician from New
Jersey who helped treat victims of the World
Trade Center attack that day six years ago. “Now
we’ve had more than 3,000 U.S. troops killed in
Iraq. It’s more than enough. It’s time to stop
the death.”

About 3,800 U.S. military personnel have been
killed since the March 2003 invasion. A Johns
Hopkins University study estimates that 600,000
Iraqis have died due to violence since that time.
The Defense Department puts its estimate at
150,000.

Protesters said the billions of dollars being
spent on the war by the U.S. government could be
used to address social problems that hurt
millions of Americans, including failing schools
and the lack of health insurance.

“Every time you drop a bomb overseas, you make it
harder to take care of your people at home,”
Jared Ball of the District’s Green Party told the
crowd.

The rally, organized by the Troops Out Now
Coalition, drew protesters from the Washington
area, Philadelphia, New York, New Jersey and
elsewhere. Police in the District generally do
not publicly estimate the size of protest
gatherings. Yesterday’s crowd appeared to number
fewer than 1,000.

Near the reflecting pool, a steady stream of
tourists and others visited the National
Gallery’s east wing, which is featuring an Edward
Hopper exhibit. Four blocks away on the Mall,
thousands were attending the National Book Fair,
toting yellow satchels given away at the fair as
they got their books signed or heard readings by
famous authors.

Several rallygoers acknowledged that the size of
the rally illustrated how difficult it is to get
people in the United States to become activists,
even though a majority of the public opposes the
war, according to polls.

“That’s the biggest problem we’ve got in America:
apathy,” said former Army Sgt. Adam Kokesh, a
member of Iraq Veterans Against the War. “And
one-third of Americans still think Saddam Hussein
had something to do with the attacks on 9/11.”

A group of George Washington University antiwar
activists said they are trying to motivate their
fellow students, but it’s a struggle.

“Students should be back on the streets, like
they were in the movements of the ’60s,” Lara
Masri said. “But there’s so much indifference.”

On the stage, the speeches continued at the base
of the Capitol.

“We’ve got to recognize that the president is
addicted to this war,” said the Rev. Lennox
Yeardwood, president of the Hip Hop Caucus, a
progressive get-out-the-vote organization based
in the District. “And this Congress is
codependent.”
A great slide-show of photos from the DC rally and march – including the student sit-in. (photos courtesy of Eric Anderson and yellowcakewalk.net) – Ann W

yellowcakewalk <ycw@yellowcakewalk.net> wrote:

Photos from
Troops Out Now
March on Washington
September 29, 2007

http://yellowcakewalk.net

(Raleigh) News & Observer

Nearly two of three North Carolinians disapprove of the way President Bush is handling the war in Iraq, according to a new poll from Elon University.

The 65 percent disapproval rating is down slightly from April, when 70 percent said they were unhappy with Bush’s management of the conflict.

The poll was conducted Sept. 24-27 by the Elon University Institute for Politics and Public Affairs. It surveyed 664 North Carolina residents, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percent.

The increase in support for the president’s handling of the war coincides with a small increase in the number of people who approve of the president’s overall job performance, Elon pollsters said.

Of those surveyed, 38 percent either approve or strongly approve of Bush’s performance, compared with a 36 percent approval rating in an April poll by Elon. Among other findings:

- 67 percent support a timetable to withdraw some U.S. troops from Iraq by the beginning of 2009, and 64 percent said that they would support a timetable to withdraw some troops by the summer of 2008.

- About 50 percent said the war with Iraq was not worth fighting, with 53 percent saying the United States should no longer be in Iraq.

- 41 percent think that the war has made the nation less safe from terrorism, down from 50 percent five months earlier. 37 percent said they believe the nation is safer, and 15 percent said it is about the same.

- 56 percent felt the nation is more at risk for terrorist attacks, another drop from April, when the figure stood at 61 percent.

“The war in Iraq continues to burden the Bush administration — citizens are unhappy with the war and apparently becoming more disenchanted with the prospects of it ending anytime soon,” Hunter Bacot, director of the Elon University Poll, said in a news release.

“More telling is that a majority of people now believe we should not be there and two-thirds want to see troops start coming home by the beginning of next year. Such findings in a ‘military friendly’ state point to the potential political costs this issue poses for both this administration and the Republican Party over the next year.”

Approximately 1,000 people participated in the Anti-War March and Rally in downtown Los Angeles Saturday, September 29, 2007. The event was organized by the Troops Out Now Coalition. Messages centered around withdrawing troops from Iraq immediately, stopping an impending war with Iran, freeing the Jenna 6, getting Greens elected to office, and diverting funds from war to services for people in the United States.

More photos

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.

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!!

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. Having Greens in office would change the whole political landscape! Greens wouldn’t only be certain to vote against ALL pro-war and pro-military legislation, we would also provide some competition for the Democrats, currently lacking, besides Republicans.

Greens do not accept corporate money and therefore Greens are not in bed with defense contractors. Greens in office would have no corporate interests to influence their decision-making, unlike the current corporate influenced legislators currently in Congress.

The following is a list of calls to action by the Green Party which urges everyone to do the same:

• The GP urges Immediate withdrawal of all US forces from Iraq.

• The GP denounces Democratic leaders for supporting the invasion, offering
  vague and delayed timetables for troop withdrawal, approving bills for continued war
  spending, and retreating from impeachment. Green leaders strongly condemned recent statements by
  presidential aspirants Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards that they could not
  promise the removal of all US combat troops from Iraq by 2013 warning that the Iraq War (as well as the threat of war with Iran) will continue whether a Democrat or Republican is elected in 2008.

• The GP oppose a US military attack on Iran – Americans should not believe the new flood of
  deceptive war propaganda.

• The GP stresses that Congress could end the war quickly if Democrats refused to move on bills for
  war funding, including the latest request for nearly $190 billion the Pentagon says is
  necessary to keep combat troops in Iraq for another year.

• The GP urges Congress to divert federal funds from war spending to human needs and services in the US, including restoration and rebuilding in the Gulf Coast.

• The GP calls for the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Cheney for
  numerous abuses of power, including misleading the American people about the reasons for
  invading Iraq.

• The GP calls the invasion a criminal breach of the US Constitution and international law, motivated by desire for political and corporate dominance in the region, control over Iraqi oil and other resources, and cooperation with Israel’s aggressive strategic objectives.

The Green Party urges you to join these calls for action. Support Greens running for office. Get Greens elected. Run as a Green for office in your district. Educate your community on the 10 key values for which the Green Party stands. Greens have been elected to offices all over the country from water boards to councils to mayors! If you are an informed and passionate citizen, YOU can run and should be running for office as a Green. You don’t need any other special pre-qualifications. That’s what democracy looks like! If you desire to foster peace, economic justice and to improve the health of our planet – YOU can run for office as a Green! If you want to work to demilitarize and eliminate weapons of mass destruction – if you want to promote non-violent methods to oppose practices and policies with which we disagree – if you want to act towards personal, community and global peace – YOU should run for office as a Green!

It’s time to get Greens in office for a CHANGE-

GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY – PERSONAL AND GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITY – NONVIOLENCE!

THE GREEN PATY **IS** THE **PEACE** PARTY !!

I would like to leave you with this Pledge to Life, which my husband Tom wrote and which aligns perfectly with Green Party values:

I pledge allegiance to all life

in its interdependent diversity;

and to the Planet upon which it exists;

one World, under the sky, undividable

with harmony and balance for all.

Thank you!

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.

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.

• Greens stress that Congress could end the war
quickly if Democrats refused to move on bills for
war funding, including the latest request for
nearly $190 billion the Pentagon says is
necessary to keep combat troops in Iraq for
another year. Greens urge Congress to divert
federal funds from war spending to human needs
and services in the US, including restoration and
rebuilding in the Gulf Coast.

• The Green Party has called for the impeachment
of President Bush and Vice President Cheney for
numerous abuses of power, including misleading
the American people about the reasons for
invading Iraq. Greens have called the invasion a
criminal breach of the US Constitution and
international law, motivated by desire for
political and corporate dominance in the region,
control over Iraqi oil and other resources, and
cooperation with Israel’s aggressive strategic
objectives.

• Greens have sharply criticized Democratic
leaders for supporting the invasion, offering
vague and delayed timetables for troop
withdrawal, approving bills for continued war
spending, and retreating from impeachment. Green
leaders strongly condemned recent statements by
presidential aspirants Hillary Clinton, Barack
Obama, and John Edwards that they could not
promise the removal of all US combat troops from
Iraq by 2013
<http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070927/ap_on_el_pr/democrats_debate>,
warning that the Iraq War (as well as the threat
of war with Iran) will continue whether a
Democrat or Republican is elected in 2008.

Updates from various Encampments to End the War:

• WASHINGTON, DC: GPAX
<http://www.gp.org/committees/peace> and the DC
Statehood Green Party
<http://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org> have set up a
tent at the encampment site on the Mall near the
Reflecting Pool. Sarah “echo” Steiner, Florida
Green and national Green Party co-chair, will
co-emcee the September 29 rally, which is set to
follow a mass march. Malik Rahim, former Green
city council candidate in New Orleans and
organizer of the Common Ground Collective
<http://www.commongroundrelief.org>, and Jared
Ball, candidate for the Green Party’s
presidential nomination
<http://www.jaredball.com>, will speak at the
rally. On September 26, DC Statehood Green
leaders led a discussion on DC statehood,
affordable housing, and preserving neighborhood
libraries threatened with closing. Mr. Rahim
spoke on Thursday, addressing the national
response to Hurricane Katrina and rebuilding the
Gulf Coast. Greens also joined a September 25
demonstration in front of the White House against
a military attack on Iran, organized by the
Troops Out Now Coalition. DC contact: Ann
Wilcox, 202-441-3265, wilcox_ann@yahoo.com

• LOS ANGELES, CA: Greens have joined other
groups setting up a tent city in front of the
Federal Building, 300 North Los Angeles Street.
Utah Green Deanna Taylor, who serves as co-chair
of GPAX, and Sedinam Kinamo Christin
Moyowasifza-Curry of the Green Party of
California will speak at a September 29 rally
outside the Federal Building, which will take
place after a Mass March to Bring the Troops
Home. Ms. Curry has announced her Vice
Presidential candidacy and is a member of the
party’s Black Caucus
<http://gpblackcaucus.blogspot.com>. Contact:
Deanna Taylor, 801-631-2998,
deesings@xmission.com

• SYRACUSE, NY: Greens will participate in a
“Soldiers & Civilians Speak Out” antiwar march
and rally on September 29, an event initiated by
New York Iraq Veterans Against the War and hosted
by the Syracuse Peace Council & SEIU-1199.
Rebecca Rotzler, former Deputy Mayor of New Paltz
and former national co-chair of the Green Party,
will speak at the main rally. A Green Party
rally to kick off the Green feeder march to the
main rally will feature Bob Gumbs, veteran and
Green Party member who has announced his
candidacy for the 15th Congressional District in
the US House (Charles Rangel’s seat), as well as
local Green activists Gary Bonaparte and Aggie
Lane.. More information:
<http://www.upstateantiwar.net>,
<http://www.syracusegreens.org>. Contact: Howie
Hawkins, Syracuse Green Party, 315-425-1019,
hhawkins@igc.org

MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193
• Green Party News Center
http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml
• Green Party Speakers Bureau
http://www.gp.org/speakers
• 2007 national Green Party meeting in Reading,
Pa.: video footage, blog and media coverage
http://www.gp.org/meeting2007/

Green Party Peace Action Committee (GPAX)
http://www.gp.org/committees/peace
GPAX Blog http://gpax.wordpress.com

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