Originally posted by the ANSWER Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism).
Dear supporters and friends,
October will mark the 11th anniversary of the U.S./NATO war in Afghanistan. Contrary to countless statements from Democratic and Republican administrations alike claiming “great progress,” etc., the occupying forces are no closer to achieving their aims than when they launched the war. In order to avoid the appearance of defeat, Washington continues to prosecute what is now the longest war in U.S. history—at a very heavy cost.
The Afghan people have suffered hundreds of thousands of casualties. Millions more have been displaced. More than 2,700 U.S./NATO troops have been killed and tens of thousands wounded. This year, so-called “green-on-blue” killings—U.S.-trained Afghan military personnel and police shooting U.S./NATO troops—have soared, as have suicides among U.S. soldiers.
It is estimated that the cost of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars will end up totaling more than $4.4 trillion, $4,400,000,000,000! Military spending is devouring the resources so badly needed to provide healthcare, housing, education and jobs. This is a major cause of the shocking fact that today 48 percent of the U.S population is officially classified as “low-income” or in poverty, and the real number is even higher.
On the weekend of Oct. 6-7, 2012, the ANSWER Coalition will join with many other organizations in cities across the country and around the world to call for an end to war and occupation in Afghanistan, Palestine and Haiti, no new wars against Syria, Iran or any country, fund human needs not militarism, and stop the attacks on civil rights and liberties.
Even as the Afghanistan war drags on, the danger of new wars and interventions is on the rise. The severe sanctions imposed on Iran are already taking a deadly toll due to a lack of life-saving medical supplies. The sanctions have also brought a sharp increase in inflation particularly affecting food prices.
The aim of the sanctions on Iran, like the 13-year-long blockade of Iraq from 1990-2003, is to weaken the country by imposing extreme hardship on the people. The sanctions/blockade against Iraq was a conscious, deliberate crime against humanity that took more than a million lives, half of them children under the age of five.
We must act now to prevent a repeat of this scenario in Iran! Attacking Iran could mean an even larger scale and deadlier war. This is not a settled issue: There is a struggle within U.S. ruling circles over whether or not to launch a new bombing war against Iran. This conflict is not based on one side having a more humanitarian view than the other. The opposition to a new war at the top is based on fears that such a war could lead ultimately to the diminishing of U.S. imperial power in the Middle East and beyond.
The United States, Britain, France and other NATO countries have also imposed sanctions on Syria. There are calls for establishing a “no-fly zone” over the country from elements in Congress and the administration. This could only be accomplished by launching a massive air war against Syria.
It is impossible to wage wars around the world and to maintain a military budget bigger that all other countries combined, without simultaneously carrying out a war against working people here. Speaking about this in 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said: “The bombs in Vietnam explode at home. They destroy the hopes and possibilities for a decent America.
War is good business for the big banks, oil companies and military-industrial corporations, who have also benefited from huge bailouts, subsidies and tax breaks at our expense. But while a tiny fraction of the population, the one-tenth of the top 1%, has grown obscenely rich in recent years, the vast majority of people are going backwards.
Real hope lies in building a new and powerful people’s movement. The ANSWER Coalition has been dedicated since its founding in September 2001 to building, strengthening and uniting the struggles against war, racism and all forms of bigotry and oppression.
October 6-7 will be an important opportunity to show opposition to the war against working people here and around the world.
Find a protest near you to mark the 11th anniversary of the Afghanistan war:
Saturday, October 6
Los Angeles, CA
Oct. 6, 12 noon
March & Rally to shut down Army recruitment center
Hollywood & Highland
More info: www.AnswerLA.org – 213-251-1025
San Francisco, CA
Oct. 6, 12 noon
March & Rally
Powell & Market Sts.
More info: www.AnswerSF.org – 415-821-6545
Albuquerque, NM
Oct. 6, 2pm
UNM Bookstore
Central & Cornell
More info: [email protected]
Seattle, WA
Oct. 6, 11 am
Military recruiting center on 5th Ave NE near Northgate
More info: 206-568-1661 or [email protected]
Portland, OR
There is also an event in Portland on Oct. 7.
Oct. 6, 12noon-5pm
Rally and march
Shemanski Park (South Park Blocks at Salmon)
More info: 503-236-3065
Tulsa, AZ
Oct. 6, 12noon
Action
Corner of 41st and Yale Ave.
More info: Sponsored by Tulsa Peace Fellowship
New York City, NY
There is also an event in NYC on Oct. 7.
Oct. 6, 12noon
Times Square, Military Recruiting Center
March to Union Square
More info: World Can’t Wait at 866-973-4463
Buffalo, NY
Oct. 6, 11am-12noon
Protest and leafleting
Elmwood & Bidwell
More info: [email protected]
Boston, MA
Oct 6, 1:30pm
Park St.
Info: [email protected]
Philadelphia, PA
There is also an event in Philadelphia on Oct. 7.
Oct. 6
Details TBA
More info: Sponsored by Philadelphia Against War
Pittsburgh, PA
Oct. 6, 1pm-4pm
Forum
East Liberty Presbytarian Church
116 South Highland Ave
More info: PittsburghEndTheWar.org
Lewisburgh, PA
Oct. 6, 12noon-1pm
Peace Vigil
Corner of Market and S 3rd St. Post Office sidewalk
More info: [email protected]
Tampa, FL
There is also an event in Tampa on Oct. 7.
Oct. 6, 11:30am-2:30pm
Vigil, possible march to main gate of MacDill
Crosstown Mobil
3699 W. Gandy Blvd.
More info: 727-525-8769, [email protected]
Vancouver, Canada
Oct. 6, 1pm
Vancouver Art Gallery
Robson & Howe St
More info: 604-322-1764 or [email protected]
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Oct. 6, 1pm
Federal Building: 55 Bay Street North
More info: [email protected] or 905-383-7693
Sunday, October 7
Portland, OR
There is also an event in Portland on Oct. 6.
Teach-in
Oct. 7, 12noon-5pm
PCC Cascade (N Albina and Killingsworth)
More info: 503-236-3065
Olympia, WA
Oct. 7, 1pm-6pm
Sylvester Park
Sponsored By: Olympia Fellowship of Reconciliation and others
Salt Lake City, UT
Oct. 7, 3pm-5pm
Rally
Salt Lake City & County Building
451 south State Street
More info: [email protected]
New York City, NY
There is also an event in NYC on Oct. 6.
Oct. 7, 4pm
125th St and Adam Clayton Powel Jr. Blvd in Harlem
More info: Sponsored by UNAC and others
Philadelphia, PA
There is also an event in Philadelphia on Oct. 6.
Oct. 7, 1pm
Vigil/Demonstration/Kite Flying
University of Pennsylvania
34th & Walnut Streets
More info: [email protected]
Columbus, OH
Oct. 7, 5pm
Vigil & Rally
OSU Main Entrance
15th Avenue and N. High St.
More info: [email protected]
Minneapolis, MN
Oct. 7, 1pm
March & Rally
Gather along the sidewalks at Hennepin and Lagoon Avenues in Uptown
March at 1:30pm to closing rally
More info: 612-522-1861 or 612-827-5364
Chicago, IL
Oct. 7, 3pm
Gather at Tribune Tower: 435 N. Michigan Ave.
March to Boeing headquarters
More info: [email protected]
Richmond, VA
Oct. 7, 6:30pm
Public forum at William Byrd Community House: 224 So. Cherry St.
Info: 804-644-5834, [email protected]
Talahassee, FL
Oct. 7, 12:30pm-2:30pm
400 Monroe St.
More info: Sponsored by Tallahassee Network for Justice and Peace and others
Tampa, FL
There is also an event in Tampa on Oct. 6.
Oct. 7, 11:30am-2:30pm
Vigil, possible march to main gate of MacDill
Crosstown Mobil
3699 W. Gandy Blvd.
More info: 727-525-8769, [email protected]
Hilton Head, SC
Oct. 7, 10:30am
Vigil
Rt. 278 and Beach City Rd.
More info: Sponsored by Hilton Head For Peace
London, England
Oct. 7
Details TBA
Info: [email protected], 0207 561 9311
Islamabad, Pakistan
Oct. 7
Rally opposing drone attacks
El Volcan, Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Oct. 7, 10am
Jesus Mediador Church
More info: [email protected] or 787-619-5175
Before October 6-7
Albany, NY
Oct. 3, 6pm-7pm
Vigil & Speak-Out
Dana Park at the intersection of Delaware Ave, Lark Street and Madison Ave
More info: 518-466-1192 or [email protected]
Teaneck, NJ
Oct. 3, 4:30pm-6pm
5pm rally/press conference
National Gaurd Armory
Teaneck Road and Liberty Road
Info: [email protected]
Sacramento, CA
Oct. 4, 11am
Protest and Rally
Quad Area, Sacramento State University (6000 J St)
Info: 707-227-9803, [email protected]
Detroit, MI
Oct. 5, 4pm-5:30pm
Entrance of Hart Plaza on Jefferson at Woodward Ave.
Info: [email protected]
Duluth, MN
Oct. 5, 6pm
Protest
Lake Ave. & Superior St, Downtown Duluth
More info: [email protected]
Monterey, CA
Oct. 5, 5pm-6pm
Window on the Bay, Del Monte Ave near Camino El Estero
more info: 831-372-5762 or [email protected]
After October 6-7
Mankato, MN
Oct. 8, 11am-12:30pm
Outside of the Centennial Student Union at Minnesota State College
Info: [email protected]
Rochester, NY
Oct. 10, 4-5:30pm
Federal Building
More info: [email protected]
