We want to thank the thousands of people and many organizations that have responded to the ANSWER Coalition’s (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) May 31 Proposal to the Anti-War Movement. The essence of the proposal is for all the anti-war coalitions and organizations to come together to mobilize the largest single mass march on Washington DC under the demand End the War Now!
Most anti-war activists support this idea. At the national level some organizations support the call for building a united mass mobilization. Others are opposing it. The ANSWER Coalition will continue to promote and organize for a united action where organizations and coalitions can come together and organize a march of a million people to show the breadth and support of the anti-war sentiment in this country. March 2008 will mark the start of the sixth year of the Iraq war. If the anti-war organizations desire to unite, it would be an important moment to organize a huge show of force demanding an immediate end to the war. In unity there is great strength—it is that simple.
| We are convening a meeting on Saturday, July 28 in Washington DC to discuss the proposal for a united anti-war demonstration of one million people. All organizations who are committed to this perspective or who are seriously considering this perspective are invited to join together in a day-long strategy session. If you or your organization is interested in attending the meeting, please indicate so by clicking this link. |
The coming months are crucial. We have to intensify our organizing efforts so that the voice of the people is heard loud and clear. The so-called “Surge” has succeeded at nothing but the killing of an ever-larger number of Iraqis in neighborhoods throughout Baghdad. The occupation forces and the puppet government in Iraq cannot pacify the country. Every month, more than 3,000 Iraqis are killed, and the U.S. death toll has been higher in the last three months than in any other three-month period of the war.
September 15 — Join Thousands to Turn Up the Heat in Washington DC
The ANSWER Coalition; Code Pink; Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation; Cindy Sheehan; Navy Petty Officer Jonathan Hutto, co-founder Appeal for Redress; Malik Rahim, founder of Common Ground Collective, New Orleans; Rev. Graylan Hagler, Ministers for Racial, Social and Economic Justice; Ramsey Clark; Latino Movement USA; Hermandad Mexicana Nacional; Michael Berg; National Lawyers Guild; Father Luis Barrios, Iglesia de San Romero de las Americas – UCC; and many others are joining together to sponsor a large protest in Washington DC timed to coincide with the report by General Petraeus on the “Surge” in Iraq. There will be actions in the halls and offices of Congress in the days following the September 15 march.
We urge every organization to join in this effort. To register your support for the September 15 march and the actions scheduled in the days following September 15, click on this link.
Bush and the Pentagon are required to report to Congress on the progress of the “Surge” in Iraq on September 15. Congress will hold hearings the following week. The eyes of the national and international media will be focused on Washington DC and on the words and positions of the politicians and generals. We are determined to make sure that this so-called debate cannot take place inside Congress without them hearing the voices of thousands of angry veterans, students and working people demanding End the War Now!
Funding for the war, which totals $300 million each day, will have to be formally renewed by Congress. It is obvious that the politicians in Congress have become discredited (their approval rating is even lower than Bush’s) because they haven’t voted to end the war. The ANSWER Coalition believes that it is crucial that thousands of people come to Washington DC on September 15 and Turn Up the Heat to demand not one more penny be spent on this criminal war for empire. If the voice of the people is to be heard during this “debate” we must arrive in Washington DC on September 15—not after it is over. This is not the time for symbolic protests—we need to make the politicians and generals feel the heat of the people’s anger. In order to do that, we need as many people as possible to stay in Washington DC. We need to occupy the halls and offices of Congress. We need to raise our voices to demand that Congress stop funding the war immediately.
To endorse the September 15 protest, click on this link.
Schedule of September actions:
- Saturday, September 15: March on the White House and Congress
- Sunday, September 16: National organizers’ meeting and training
- September 17-20: Actions in the halls, hearing rooms and offices of Congress
It is highly significant that ImpeachBush.org and other impeachment organizations will be mobilizing thousands of people to come to Washington DC starting on September 15. ImpeachBush.org will be publishing newspaper ads urging those who support the impeachment of Bush and Cheney to make their voices heard from September 15-20, 2007. The ANSWER Coalition welcomes the impeachment movement. At the March 17, 2007, March on the Pentagon Impeach Bush signs and banners were everywhere.
October 20-27: A Week of Nationally-Coordinated Local and Regional Demonstrations
The anti-war movement and the impeachment movement are joining forces to carry out mass local and regional actions in cities and towns throughout the country from October 20-27. The ANSWER Coalition will initiate many actions and support and promote the actions of all other anti-war coalitions that will take place during this week. These actions will include large-scale demonstrations, rallies, picket lines, mass leaflet distributions at military bases, activities and walk-outs at college campuses and high schools, and other actions. There can be actions in every state and every city and town showing that the anti-war sentiment is the majority sentiment and that the people are determined to end the war now. The Week of Nationally-Coordinated Local and Regional Actions will begin on the weekend of October 20-21, the exact 40th anniversary weekend of the historic March on the Pentagon where tens of thousands marched under the banner “From Protest to Resistance!”
Please make a donation today
Please make an urgently needed donation today. We must immediately raise funds to pay for buses, posters, leaflets, stickers, sound, stage and the many other expenses associated with a mass, grassroots organizing campaign. We have succeeded in making this movement grow because of the financial donations from you and thousands of others. Please make a much needed online donation, or learn how you can contribute by check, by clicking this link.
A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition
http://www.answercoalition.org/
[email protected]
National Office in Washington DC: 202-544-3389
New York City: 212-694-8720
Los Angeles: 213-251-1025
San Francisco: 415-821-6545
Chicago: 773-463-0311
