September 15, 2003
Misleader.org: Tracking Bush's False Statements

Misleader.org: Sign up for a short daily email chronicling the President's untrue statements at by clicking here.

misstate.gif

View the New York Times ad launching Misleader.org

Dear MoveOn member,
The President says things that are misleading or just plain wrong every day, but most of these statements are never challenged. That's why we're launching Misleader.org, a new website and free daily email service for journalists and the general public to track George Bush's false statements.

The daily dispatches will take a "Just the Facts, Ma'am" approach -- no rhetoric, just a couple of paragraphs we'll email each morning on what the President said and why it was misleading or untrue. It's our hope that by doing some of the research for the press corps, we can ensure better coverage of President Bush's lies. If you know someone who could use this kind of information, please point him or her to the site.

To launch the site, we've taken out a full page ad in the New York Times titled "Mis-State of the Union." The ad reveals how the President mislead the nation in his State of the Union speech -- not just on Iraq, but on the economy, the environment, and other important issues. You can check the ad out at:
http://www.misleader.org/pdf/nyt_ad.pdf

Here are a few juicy tidbits from our New York Times ad:

ON TAX CUTS:
George Bush: "The tax relief is for everyone who pays income taxes...Americans will keep, this year, an average of almost $1,000 more of their own money."
The Truth: Nearly half of all taxpayers get less than $100. And 31% of all taxpayers get nothing at all.

ON JOBS:
George Bush: "Our first goal is...an economy that grows fast enough to employ every man and woman who seeks a job."
The Truth: Bush is the first President since Hoover to preside over an economy that has lost jobs, not created them - more than 2.9 million since 2001.

ON THE ENVIRONMENT:
George Bush: "[My] Clear Skies legislation...mandates a 70% cut in air pollution from power plants over the next 15 years."
The Truth: The Bush plan will allow more than 100,000 additional premature deaths by 2020 than alternative legislation developed by the Environmental Protection Agency. The plan does not regulate carbon emissions and allows far more sulfur and mercury emissions.

ON EDUCATION:
George Bush: "[W]e achieved historic education reform - which must now be carried out in every school and in every classroom."
The Truth: Bush cut $8 billion from the promised funds for education.

When Bush was running for President, he said, "I believe everyone should be held responsible for their own personal behavior." We agree. The President has repeatedly mislead the country. Now it's time for Americans and the press to hold him responsible.

Sincerely,
--Carrie, Eli, Joan, Noah, Peter, Wes, and Zack
The MoveOn Team
September 15th, 2003

Posted by Brian Stefans at 05:20 PM
July 31, 2003
NY Forum on UFPJ Iraq Campaign, 8/5

United for Peace and Justice NY
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/nyc | 212 -603-3700
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To receive our email alerts, visit
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/email4.php?p=subscribe
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WHAT: UFPJ NY Iraq Campaign Forum
WHEN: Tuesday, August 5, 7:00PM
WHERE: 330 W. 42nd St., 9th fl (betw 8th & 9th Aves)

BUSH LIES - WHO DIES?
Investigate the Lies - End the Occupation -- Bring the Troops Home NOW!

The Anti-War Movement Was Right:
Bush lied about the evidence. He lied about bringing liberation to the Iraqi people. And now, at the very least 6,000 Iraqi civilians and 230 U.S. soldiers have paid the price with their lives. Come to an educational and organizing forum to talk about the state of the illegal U.S. occupation of Iraq and get involved in action to end it.

Speakers:Invited speaker from Military Families Speak Out (http://www.mfso.org) an organization of people who oppose the war in Iraq and have relatives or loved ones in the military

Rahul Mahajan, United for Peace & Justice, Peace Action, author of FULL SPECTRUM DOMINANCE: U.S. POWER IN IRAQ AND BEYOND

TAKE ACTION!
Come sign up for flyering, tabling, grassroots advocacy, and demonstrating to push for Congressional hearings into BUSH'S LIES & to call for an END to the OCCUPATION

More info: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=1796

Posted by Brian Stefans at 02:45 AM
May 08, 2003
www.moveon.org: Media Issues Petition

JOIN US IN PETITIONING CONGRESS AND THE FCC ON MEDIA ISSUES!

http://www.moveon.org/stopthefcc

Dear Friend of United for Peace and Justice,

Anyone who paid attention to the media coverage of the war on Iraq and the anti-war movement knows that peace and justice activists must prioritize wresting control of our media from profit-driven media corporations. In other parts of the world, TV viewers learned about the human costs of war‹from images of injured and dead Iraqi civilians to interviews with doctors and humanitarian workers. But on U.S. television, the war was presented as a video game, full of images that glorified U.S. weaponry and commentary by former military generals and ³embedded² journalists whose identities blurred with those of their military units. This was the version of the war that the U.S. government wanted the public to believe‹not the reality on the ground in Iraq. This was also the version of the war that media outlets believed would bring them viewers and advertising dollars.

And it gets worse

While Secretary of State Colin Powell led the U.S. invasion against Iraq, his son, Michael Powell, head of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), ramped up an attack on federal media regulations that could give the corporate media even more power than it already has. We have already seen the effects of the 1996 media deregulation: five television companies--General Electric (MSNBC and NBC), News Corp (Fox), Disney (ABC), AOL-Time Warner (CNN), and Viacom (CBS)--have a stranglehold on what information the public gets to know, and corporate radio behemoths like Clear Channel Communications devour local radio stations and replace them with McRadio. If Powell has his way, the situation will get even worse; there will be nothing standing in the way of media companies¹ drive for profits at the expense of our democracy.

TAKE ACTION‹TELL CONGRESS AND THE FCC TO STOP THE MEDIA DEREGULATION!

Please join United for Peace and Justice as we come together with Moveon.org, Media Alliance, CodePink and Global Exchange to say no to the Bush Administration¹s push to give free reign to the corporate media. We need to strengthen the media ownership rules, not eliminate them!

Go to http://www.moveon.org/stopthefcc to sign a petition to the FCC that will also be sent to your Congress members and Senators. We need thousands of people to sign this petition; this is our chance to speak out against media that puts corporate profit ahead of journalism and truth-telling!

In peace and solidarity,

Andrea Buffa
Leslie Cagan
Bill Fletcher Jr.
Co-chairs, United for Peace and Justice


BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON PROPOSED CHANGES TO MEDIA REGULATIONS

The following rules are being considered for modification or elimination by the FCC. A decision from the FCC is expected in early June 2003.

- Newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership prohibition. Prevents broadcast TV companies from buying newspapers in communities in which they have TV stations. (Practical effect: NBC cannot buy Gannett News Service)

- Local radio ownership limit. Limits the number of local radio stations that any one broadcaster can own in a single market. (Practical effect: right now Clear Channel can only own 8 stations in a local market.)

- National TV ownership limit. Limits the number of local broadcast stations any one broadcast company can own to systems serving 35% of the TV households in the U.S. (Practical effect: Prevents Viacom/CBS from buying anymore broadcast systems, because it currently owns systems that reach 41% of the public. Prevents Fox/Newscorp (Rupert Murdoch) from owning the other half.

- Local TV multiple ownership, aka “duopoly rule.” Allows a broadcast company to own two TV stations in the same market only if at least one of those stations is ranked below the top four stations and there are at least eight independently owned-and-operating, full-power and noncommercial television stations in that market. (Practical effect: Viacom/CBS can own PAX as long as PAX remains a low ranked station in that market.)

- Radio/TV Cross-Ownership restriction. Prevents one company from owning both a radio station and a television station in the same market. (Practical effect: Clear Channel cannot now own TV stations in markets where it owns radio stations. Disney/ABC cannot control radio and TV stations in the same market.)

For more information, see this article:

SHOWDOWN AT THE FCC (http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=15796) Jeffrey Chester and Don Hazen, AlterNet
Despite wide protests and the Clear Channel debacle, the FCC is about to award the nation's biggest media conglomerates a new give-away that will further concentrate media ownership in fewer hands. The impact on the American media landscape could be disastrous. Recent TV coverage of the Iraq war already illustrates that US media companies aren't interested in providing a serious range of analysis and debate. This overview describes what's at stake and offers an introduction to several other articles.

Posted by Brian Stefans at 10:58 PM
April 29, 2003
nothing but iraq: a reading of modern iraqi poetry

7:00 Thursday, May 1
50 Washington Square South
New York City

With poems by Badr Shakir as-Sayyab, Abdul Wahab al-Bayati,
Nazik al-Malaika, Buland al-Haidari, Saadi Youssef, Lamia Abbas Amara,
Sargon Boulus, Fadil al-Azzawi, Sadiq al-Sayigh, Yusef al-Sayigh, Hisham
Shafiq, Sinan Antoon, and Mahmoud Darwish

And an introduction by Lebanese novelist Eias Khoury

Sponsored by the NYU Department of Middle Eastern Studies and Kevorkian Center for Middle Eastern Studies

Posted by David Perry at 07:47 AM
April 28, 2003
United for Peace and Justice Coalition: Chicago Conference, June 6-8

SAVE THE DATE!!! MAKE YOUR TRAVEL PLANS NOW!!!

NATIONAL CONFERENCE
United for Peace and Justice Coalition

June 6-8, Chicago

On June 6-8, United for Peace and Justice will hold a National Conference in Chicago. Representatives of local and national peace and justice groups from across the U.S. will come together to assess the new challenges and opportunities we face in stopping the Bush administration’s program of permanent war. It is time to develop plans for coordinated action over the next 6-12 months. We invite all organizations affiliated with or interested in joining UFPJ to send a representative to participate in this important meeting. (See info at bottom for how to become a member group of UFPJ.)

United for Peace and Justice formed in October 2002 to bring together a broad range of organizations throughout the United States to coordinate our work against the U.S. war on Iraq. Activities organized by UFPJ organizations and activists—-including the Feb. 15 mobilization in NYC, in which 500,000 people participated, and the jointly organized Feb. 16 demonstration in San Francisco, attended by 250,000--have been instrumental in resisting the Bush administration’s empire-building agenda.

(PLEASE NOTE: For multiple reasons, the conference will not be on May 24-26, as had been initially planned at a March 9 meeting in Washington, D.C.)


Now more than ever, it’s critical that we strategize about how to build a stronger grassroots movement for peace, democracy, and justice. At this conference organizers and activists will have the opportunity to grapple with these questions and more:

--Will Bush soon wage “pre-emptive” wars on Syria, Iran, or North Korea?
--What strategy and tactics will help us build the power needed to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq?
--What action should we take to end the U.S. role in sustaining Israel’s occupation of Palestinian lands and repressive regimes from Colombia to the Philippines—all in the name of “fighting terror?”
--How do we attract and retain the involvement of diverse communities and sectors at a moment when many feel demoralized by Bush’s invasion of Iraq or unclear about next steps?
--Does the intersection of an economic crisis at home and the diversion of billions of federal dollars to the military create new opportunities to organize and build the leadership of communities of color in the movement?
--How do we fight against the detentions and deportations of immigrants, the attacks on our civil liberties, and the possibility of a PATRIOT Act II?

Over 3 full days, we will use plenary sessions, breakout groups, and workshops to

1) Strengthen ties between local and national peace and justice groups across the U.S.
2) Assess the political landscape we face (Bush’s war agenda—its impact abroad and at home; strengths and weaknesses of our movement)
3) Develop coordinated campaigns and action plans (involving mass actions, direct action, grassroots lobbying, etc.)
4) Develop a 6-12 month structure to help us implement those plans
5) Elect UFPJ leadership

The first day is tentatively planned to be educational, with presentations, panels and workshops on a range of topics relating to Iraq, the “war on terrorism,” and movement-building. These discussions will provide a framework for making decisions on action plans and how we’ll organize our work on the second and third days.

UFPJ is committed to ensuring grassroots participation at this vital meeting, occurring at a critical juncture for our movement. Therefore, UFPJ will cover a large percentage of the costs of either travel or the conference. We are in the process of finalizing conference logistics and scholarship plans and will send out an update shortly.

In the meantime, we encourage you to make transportation plans ASAP.

---------------------
FOR MORE INFORMATION:

United for Peace and Justice
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/

To become a member group of UFPJ:
United for Peace & Justice welcomes the participation of any and all national, regional and local groups who share our goals and wish to work with others. Email andrea@globalexchange.org

To receive email updates, go to
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/email.php

Contact us at:
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/contactus.php
New York City 212-603-3700

To make a tax-deductible donation, go to
http://unitedforpeace.org/donate

Posted by Brian Stefans at 08:35 PM
MoveOn: "We'll throw out Bush and the Republicans using every means available"

The war in Iraq is over; the U.S. occupation of Iraq has now begun. In an unnecessary war, victory is never sweet: American soldiers, Iraqi civilians, and Iraqi soldiers lost their lives in a conflict that never should have happened. That's not victory, that's tragedy.

The hawks in the Bush Administration see this as a vindication of their belligerent world view. Never mind that we haven't found any weapons of mass destruction; never mind that Iraqi democracy (or even security) is nowhere in sight. The hotter heads have prevailed: pre- emptive unilateralism is now the official policy of the U.S.. Vice President Cheney, Secretary Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, and Richard Perle are now thinking even bigger about the "projection of American power." In the chilling words of a senior official close to the Bush administration, "Anyone can go to Baghdad. Real men go to Tehran."

Folks, we just have to stop this madness, and there's really only one way to do that: We need to throw these bums out. The good news is that over the last few months, we've built a base that just may be large enough to succeed. MoveOn's total membership is now over 1.3 million. We've taken out ads, written letters, delivered mountains of petition signatures, and taken action in hundreds of cities. And now we need to turn our attention toward one goal: regime change in the USA, the best way to repudiate Bush's policy of war.

Are you in? If you're willing to help show Bush the door in 2004, just click below. We'll count you among the participants in this next phase of the peace movement.

http://www.moveon.org/pac/newpres

We'll throw out Bush and the Republicans using every means available: by registering a wave of new voters, by organizing to make sure they get to the polls on election day, by raising enough money to compete with the President's mountain of special interest money, and by volunteering for political campaigns. We'll make it easy for you to play a part.

President Bush believes he doesn't have to listen to the American public -- which, even during war, has overwhelmingly been skeptical or strongly resistant to the idea of an American empire. He has decided that his faith in the military takes precedence over his faith in democracy. The election in 2004 is our chance to take our democracy back.

Polls show overwhelmingly that American's do not trust President Bush to revive the failing economy. They're just as concerned with the Administration's assault on civil rights, civil liberties and the environment. Last week in New Orleans, Presidential Advisor Karl Rove said that this will be a "close, competitive" race. If all of us get involved, it won't just be tight. We'll win.

And that will go down in history. It will demonstrate that we mean what we say -- that we have the passion and the commitment to see our approach to foreign policy through. It will demonstrate that politicians who seek to curry favor through belligerence face political consequences, and that those who advocate a reasonable, multilateral foreign policy will be rewarded. And it will set the stage for an American policy that leads the world into a cooperative and safe future.

Let's elect a new President in 2004, and put an end to the politics of unnecessary war.

Sincerely,

--Carrie, Eli, Joan, Peter, Wes, and Zack
The MoveOn Team
April 24th, 2003

Posted by Brian Stefans at 07:52 AM
April 16, 2003
Poets for Peace: Reading Friday April 25th

After an amazing people's poetry gathering here in New York City over the past weekend, "poets for Peace" is energized to continue bringing poems against the war and poems for peace directly to the people.

We will plan our next public reading for Friday April 25th from 1-3pm on the steps of the main branch of The New York Public Library at 42nd Street and 5th Avenue near the southmost lion. Rain or shine. All poets are invited to attend and read their own or other's poems.

Also please note that Poets Against The War (www.poetsagainstthewar.org) is calling for a day of special events on the first of May. We will plan a reading for that day as well -details to follow later.

If you have any suggestions for this or future events please feel free to email me at your convenience.

peace,
Nathaniel A. Siegel
poets for Peace
poets against the war
POETRY IS NEWS

"do one thing a day to make your heart dance." yoko ono from Peace Event for
John Lennon

Posted by Brian Stefans at 10:45 PM
April 09, 2003
The People's Poetry: Iraq: A Reading of Iraqi Poetry

Introduction by Lebanese novelist Elias Khoury

Poems by Badr Shakir As-Sayyab, Abdul Wahab al-Bayati, Nazik al-Malaika, Buland al-Haidari, Saadi Youssef, Lamia Abbas Amara, Sargon Boulus, Fadil al-Azzawi, Sadiq al Sayigh, Yusef al Sayigh, Hisham Shafiq, Sinan Antoon, and Mahmoud Darwish.

The poems will be read by Waiel Abdelwahed, Ammiel Alcalay, Haytham Bahoora, Lucas Canino, Rebecca Johnson, Elias Khoury, Khaled Mattawa, Mara Naaman, Tsolin Nalbantian, Manel Saddique, Sherene Seikaly, Shareah Taleghani and Nader Uthman.

Saturday, April 12th, from 3:45 to 5:00 p.m.
Poet's House
72 Spring Street(between B'way & Lafayette)in Manhattan
212-431-7920


For a full schedule of other events with writers from Pakistan, Bosnia, Morocco, Lebanon and many other places (including Etel Adnan, Abdellatif Laabi, Kishwar Naheed, Semezdin Mehmedinovic, Khaled Mattawa, Venus Khoury-Ghata, and many others), check the webiste:

www.poetshouse.org
www.peoplespoetry.org

Readings will be (mostly) in English translation.

Posted by Brian Stefans at 11:55 PM
Poets for Peace: Reading Aprill 11

Hello !

Poets for Peace invites all poets to read poems against the war this Friday April 11 from 1-3pm on the steps of the main branch of The New York Public Library located at 42nd Street and 5th Avenue (in front of the southmost lion). Look for the poets for Peace banner. Rain or shine.

I am reminded of the importance of this reading upon learning that a friend from Spain living here in New York knew the Spanish journalist who was killed yesterday in Iraq.


The talking heads on t.v. this morning as they gloried in a photo op of a statue about to be tumbled, voiced over that the reporters and journalists who were in the same hotel that was attacked by the tank, had now somehow gotten over the incident or words to that effect. As with much of what we hear these days: I can hardly believe this to be true. That any life: be it one of our peers, friends or enemies, or a stranger is treated so callously, truly sickens me. I hope you can make the time to read with us this Friday even if it's just for a short time.

peace

Nathaniel

poets for Peace
poets against the war
POETRY IS NEWS

Posted by Brian Stefans at 11:51 PM
April 06, 2003
LEA Call for Papers: Artists and Scientists in Times of War

Guest Editor: Shirley Shor

The Leonardo Electronic Almanac (ISSN No: 1071-4391) is developing a special issue dealing with the phenomenon of war, and will explore the relationships between artists, scientists, and war in contemporary society.

The issue will investigate war from an interdisciplinary perspective, as a cultural practice of conflict that affects each and every one of us on a daily basis; a practice that is broader and deeper than armed conflict between nation states; that occurs on many levels when national, social, economical and cultural interests collide and which involves issues such as real-time media representation of facts, language and architecture, freedom of information and truth and power. We are in a midst of a global digital media war where copyright holders fight consumers over digital music, books and movies sharing and duplication. A software war where open and free systems battle closed and proprietary ones for running the world's computer systems. A Man vs. Machine war in-which the world's greatest chess players fight for the human creative edge and self dignity against the superior speed and memory of computers.

We live in a time of total screening of war as a spectacle on television and computer screens - from live war images on news cable stations, war simulation video games, reality police action shows and US Army commercials with heavy metal music soundtracks on MTV. We are moving further from asking hard questions regarding the essence of conflict and meditated reality and from being able to establish our own world-view based on cross-checked information and facts.

The issue will not present a specific unified position towards conflict but rather it aims to reveal tendencies, to surface hidden agendas and issues, to reflect on multiple points of view and to open a wide-ranging dialog. What is the role of artists and scientists in this new era? Should art be completely independent of the politics of violence? Should science? Guest Editor Shirley Shor and Leonardo Electronic Almanac seek papers discussing these and other topics that address the role and work of artists and scientists in times of war.

LEA encourages international artists / academics / researchers / students to submit their proposals for consideration. We particularly encourage authors outside north america and europe to send proposals for articles/gallery/artists statements:

Proposals should include:-

- a 150 - 300 word abstract / synopsis - a brief bio (and prior works for reference, if necessary) - names of collaborators (if work is produced by a team) - any related URLs - contact details

Deadline: 16 May 2003

Please send proposals or queries to: Shirley Shor shirleys@friskit.com

or Nisar Keshvani LEA Editor-in-Chief lea@mitpress.mit.edu
http://mitpress2.mit.edu/e-journals/LEA/

***********************************

What is LEA?

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Established in 1993, the Leonardo Electronic Almanac (ISSN No: 1071-4391) is the electronic arm of the world's most prestigious art journal, Leonardo - Journal of Art, Science & Technology.

LEA is jointly produced by Leonardo, the International Society for the Arts, Sciences and Technology (ISAST) and published under the auspices of MIT Press. Leonardo Electronic Almanac (LEA), is Leonardo/ISAST and MIT Press' electronic journal dedicated to providing a forum for those who are interested in the realm of where art, science & technology converge.

Content

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This peer reviewed e-journal includes Profiles of Media Arts facilities and Projects, Profiles of artists using new media, Feature Articles comprised of theoretical and technical perspectives; the LEA Gallery exhibiting new media artwork by international artists; detailed information about new publications in various media; reviews of publications. events and exhibitions. Material is contributed by artists, scientists, educators and developers of new technological resources in the media arts.

Mission

-------

Since 2002, LEA formed a strategic alliance with fineArt forum - the Internet's longest running arts magazine. Through this partnership, LEA concentrates on adding new scholarship and critical commentary to the art, science and technology field, with LEA subscribers benefiting from the latest news, announcements, events, and job/educational opportunities through fAf's online news service.

LEA's mission is to maintain and consolidate its position as a leading online news and trusted information filter whilst critically examining arts/science & technological works catering to the international CAST (Community of Artists, Scientist &Technologists)

********************************

----------------------------------------------------------
nisar keshvani
http://www.keshvani.org nisar@keshvani.com
mail : studio 3a, 35 place du bourg-de-four,
1204 geneva, switzerland
tel: +41 (0)22 310 3413 mob: +41 (0)78 612 1687
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editor-in-chief, fineArt forum = art + technology netnews
http://www.fineartforum.org
----------------------------------------------------------
editor-in-chief, leonardo electronic almanac
http://mitpress2.mit.edu/e-journals/LEA
----------------------------------------------------------

Posted by Brian Stefans at 02:33 PM
April 04, 2003
Moveon.org: Important: Letters on the future of Iraq

The war with Iraq continues. No one knows if it will last weeks, months, or years. Even after the fighting stops in Iraq, the fallout from this war could span decades. We can only hope that it ends quickly, with an absolute minimum loss of life.

Even as the troops march towards Baghdad, a big controversy is brewing over what will happen when the war does end. The neoconservatives like Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, and Richard Perle envision a longer U.S. occupation of Iraq, directed entirely by the Pentagon and with only minimal participation by other countries and the U.N. Their scheme calls for setting up a provisional government in which Americans head each of the 23 ministries. In essence, they want to win the peace the way the U.S. has pushed for war: alone.

The U.S. State Department, the C.I.A., Prime Minister Tony Blair, the major humanitarian relief organizations, France, Germany, and most of the rest of the countries in the world disagree with this plan. They'd like to see the reconstruction of Iraq as a collaborative, international effort lead by the U.N. And many of them believe the Pentagon plan is a recipe for disaster.

The decision on how post-war Iraq is to be managed will be made in the next several days, and the Administration is split. The consequences will play out in Iraq and around the world for generations. By writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper, you can help to sway the balance away from the unilateralism that has done so much damage and toward a collective rebuilding process.

We've made it easy for you to send a letter by providing some detailed talking points below. Here are some tips on how to make the most of them:

1. Your newspaper's letters page should give you an email address or fax number to use, or you can try this website.


2. Your own words, written from the heart, are always best.


3. Brevity is the soul of wit.


4. The key to publication is to pounce on something specific you've seen in the newspaper -- especially an editorial or op-ed article. The issue of post-war Iraq has been in the news a lot lately -- try to cite a specific article when you write.


5. Be sure to include your name and address, and especially your phone number when submitting your letter. Editors need to call you to verify authorship before they can print your letter. They don't print your phone number.


6. Please let us know when you've sent your letter by pasting it into the form below:


If that doesn't work, go to:
http://www.moveon.org/futureofiraq.html

Here's why big parts of our own government, and the governments of many other countries, oppose having the Pentagon reconstruct Iraq:

Many major relief organizations believe that it will be difficult or impossible to help starving or malnourished people in a Pentagon-controlled Iraq. Relief has never been a priority for the Pentagon, and in many cases the U.S. simply lacks the expertise to distribute food and medical aid effectively. (For more info, go here.)


At the State Department, officials worry that not including the U.N. in post-war planning could heighten tensions between the U.S. and other important allies. A recent L.A. Times article quoted one Administration official as saying, "We're on the verge of further alienating allies. . . And it looks like we're going to do exactly what we promised we wouldn't -- take small groups of exiles with limited influence in Iraq and bring them in as the bulk of a transition government." (The article is linked to below.)


Many Administration officials worry that a U.S.-led reconstruction effort will be regarded with suspicion or even hostility by Iraqis, who have already shown that they do not welcome foreign intruders. (Washington Post, April 2, 2003) In other words, if lead by the U.S., an Iraqi government may simply fail. That could leave Iraq in the hands of another Saddam Hussein.


British Prime Minister Tony Blair worries that if post-war Iraq is not in the hands of the U.N., other countries may be reticent to play a significant role in the reconstruction of the country. According to the L.A. Times, "Blair sees the move as critical to winning support from donor nations and to preventing a political backlash and new terrorism from an increasingly angry Arab world."

Your letter doesn't have to go into these details. Here are some key points you can touch on:

A U.S. occupation of post-war Iraq could incite anti-American hatred in the Arab world, and could breed more terrorism.


Major humanitarian organizations believe the Pentagon's leadership could put relief workers and starving and malnourished Iraqis at risk.


U.S. control of the reconstruction process will further alienate our already estranged allies, and could create a permanent rift between us and the countries we rely upon for cooperation in the war on terrorism.


The amount of money available for the rebuilding of Iraq will depend on the degree to which other countries feel included in the decision-making process. A U.S.-only process could lead potential donor countries to drop out.


The U.N. is equipped to build democracies; the United States government has neither the expertise nor the long-term political will to see such a process through.

Donald Rumsfeld and the Pentagon want a U.S. occupation of Iraq. That could have disastrous consequences, not only for the U.S., but for the future of democracy in Iraq. As Prime Minister Blair said, "Iraq in the end should not be run by the Americans, should not be run by the British, should not be run by any outside force or power. It should be run for the first time in decades by the Iraqi people."

Sincerely,
--Carrie, Eli, Joan, Peter, Wes, and Zack
  The MoveOn Team
  April 3rd, 2003

P.S. Here's a great L.A. Times article that sums up many of these issues.

P.P.S. If you're interested in taking more media-related actions on a more frequent basis, please join our Media Corps

Posted by Brian Stefans at 04:19 PM
16Beaver: Weekend of April 16 Events

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

We have been in discussions to activate and invite others to organize some actions, activities and events in relation and response to the "war on terror", the war in iraq, the ongoing attacks on civil liberties, responsibilities as "citizens", responsibilities as cultural workers, culture & politics, cultural politics, censorship, dissent, etc, ? . The time frame we were thinking about for the the events (which can range from creative protests, to public art works, online projects, screenings, discussions and panels) would be the weekend of April 26.

To open this call to as many people as possible, we need to collaborate with others artists, activists, groups, and organizations. We are writing this letter to seek your participation, and assistance in organizing, initiating events, but most importantly connecting and finding other partners/collaborating bodies.

We are aware that many people are already in the mindset and preparing such actions, we just want to try to create a density of these activities to coincide together and create a level of critical mass and hopefully public resonance.

We have been encouraged by the anti-war movements and the level of "resistance" that has been organized in nyc and cities around the world. We would like to involve and implicate in a more precise fashion, the role, responses, and strategies of cultural workers or others utilizing/employing artistic/creative approaches.

Our idea is to create a horizontal structure in which there is no approval of what can and cannot fit within its framework. We only propose a title, a date, an open set of ideas, themes and questions. It is up to the individuals and groups who participate to decide and organize the specific scope and nature of their projects.

Related to that weekend, we will generate a map of this cultural field of resistance and along with that a calendar of all the related events that will take be taking place.

Let us know what you think, ideas you may have or had, what you may already be working on that could coincide with these events, and if you would like to be involved (organizing, networking, creating).

At this point, Rene and I are gathering the names of people who will be organizing and doing "outreach", we really hope that this event is not just in New York, but will be in other cities as well.

For the interim, please write to info@16beavergroup.org (subject: Action). We have already set up an e-mail list that people who will be involved can subscribe to (subscribe_hownow@16beavergroup.org).

Ok, looking forward to hearing back from everyone.

Ay + Rene

Posted by Brian Stefans at 12:58 AM
United for Peace: Honor Dr. King's Legacy, Stop the War!

United for Peace & Justice NYC
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/nyc 212-603-3700
====================================
In this update:
* April 3: Nonviolence/Civil Disobedience Training
* April 4: Riverside Church Anti-War Funeral Procession
* April 5: Harlem Anti-War March & Rally
* April 7: Direct Action Against War Profiteers

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was our country's foremost spokesperson for peace and justice. He understood how immoral war abroad fueled racism and injustice at home. For this he was vilified and eventually assassinated on April 4, 1968. (A year earlier, on April 4, 1967, Dr. King had delivered a major speech against the war in Vietnam.)

From April 4 to 7 of this year, in commemoration of the death of Dr. King and in celebration of his legacy, United for Peace and Justice has made a national call for local antiwar actions throughout the country. Visit http://www.unitedforpeace.org for more information about the national initiatives we are supporting this weekend.

In New York City, there are several key anti-war actions this weekend that we urge you to support and publicize. You can also view a complete calendar of New York anti-war events -- or list your group\'s event -- at
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/calendar.php?area=33

*April 3: Nonviolence/Civil Disobedience Training
Sponsored by United for Peace & Justice NYC
Thurs. April 3rd, 7-10pm; 330 W. 42nd St., 9th Fl. (bet. 8/9 Aves.)
For more info: UFPJcd@hotmail.com | 212-603-3759

*April 4: Riverside Church Anti-War Funeral Procession
Riverside Church in NYC will hold a symbolic funeral procession on Friday -- the anniversary of Dr. King\'s April 4, 1967 anti-war speech at Riverside Church -- to remember Dr. King, and to mourn both those who have been killed and those who will be killed as a result of the war in Iraq.
Assemble 9AM at Grant\'s Tomb, Riverside Dr. & 122nd Street for a 9:30AM service followed by a march to Bryant Park
More details: http://www.theriversidechurchny.org | 212-870-6853

*April 5: Harlem Anti-War March and Rally
A Call to African Americans and All People of Color: We must show the world that we stand in opposition to this racist war in Iraq. Assemble this Saturday at 11:00AM at Marcus Garvey Park, 124th Street & Fifth Avenue, for a march to the Harlem State Office Building.
Organized by the Black Solidarity Against the War Coalition
More info: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/calendar.php?calid=4185
and http://www.blacksagainstwar.com

*April 7: Direct Action Against War Profiteers
The M27 Coalition -- organizers of last week\'s Rockefeller Center die-in -- will participate in a national day of direct action against war profiteers on Monday, by organizing a mass civil disobedience outside the offices of The Carlyle Group. The Carlyle Group, with offices at 58th & Fifth, is a politically connected investment firm that stands to profit greatly from both the war itself and the postwar reconstruction.
For more details and info about upcoming planning meetings, visit:
http://www.m27coalition.org/

Posted by Brian Stefans at 12:47 AM
PAUL CHAN: BAGHDAD: HOME MOVIES

Sunday, April 6
(programmed by Marianne Shaneen)

Sunday April 6, 8:30pm: Ocularis presents
BAGHDAD: HOME MOVIES (PREMIERE!)
A Presentation by New York City video/web/installation artist Paul Chan, who spent the month of December 2002 in Baghdad, as a member of Voices in the Wilderness, a Nobel Peace Prize nominated group working to end the sanctions against Iraq. At Ocularis, Chan will present for the first time his video footage from Baghdad, offering a glimpse into the cultural, political, and everyday life of Iraqi citizens living under the weight of the UN sanctions and the chaos of another war. Chan will be joined by members of the Ruckus Society and United for Peace and Justice to talk about alternative and utopian visions and radical change.

Paul Chan is a 2003 Rockefeller Foundation New Media Art Fellow and director
of an online political/aesthetic think tank at:
www.nationalphilistine.com.

For more information on the Iraq peace team project:
http://www.iraqpeaceteam.org

DIRECTIONS:
Ocularis screenings are at Galapagos Art & Performance Space
in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
70 North 6th Street (between Wythe and Kent)
Tel: 718.388.8713
By subway: L line to Bedford Avenue stop, first stop in Brooklyn. Walk one block south to North 6th street and two and a half blocks west.

Posted by Brian Stefans at 12:31 AM
April 03, 2003
Note from BKS

Sorry that the nav bar above is looking so bad -- it looked fine on my two machines at work, but now that I'm home I see that it's quite awful. But functional, alas. I'll see what I can do about it today, but I've got a ton of things to do.

What it does is take the most recent entry under a particular category and features the title of that entry. These are not editorial recommendations, but are automatic. Some original pieces were getting pushed down the page a little too fast. Scrolling down the home page is still the best way to see what's been going on.

Also, Netscape users should use a different browser to look at this site. I think it works on Netscape 7, but anything below that doesn't agree with the MovableType template that I'm using. It would take me a few days to get it to really conform, but I think in the end Netscape didn't implement some of the HTML that is used in this site. My apologies for this.

Posted by Brian Stefans at 03:21 PM
April 02, 2003
nationalphilistine.com: Free Nonviolent Civil Disobedience Training Workshop / Baghdad Home Movies

Thursday, April 3, 7pm - 10pm
United for Peace and Justice Office
330 W. 42nd St, 9th Floor

This is one in a series of workshops being given to help New Yorkers understand the history and strategies behind civil disobedience in preparation of another round of protests and direct actions coming up in NYC. Interested parties contact me (manwichartist@yahoo.com) or Chris of United for Peace (uspjcd@hotmail.com) for more info. First come first serve basis.

###

BAGHDAD HOME MOVIES
--> (NOTE: I'll be showing for the first time video footage from Baghdad)
Sunday, April 6 at 8:30pm
OCULARIS, Brooklyn
www.ocularis.net

A Presentation by New York City artist Paul Chan, who spent the month of December 2002 in Baghdad, as a member of Voices in the Wilderness, a Nobel Peace Prize-nominated group working to end the sanctions against Iraq. Chan will present slides and video about his work and experience in Baghdad, offering a glimpse into the cultural, political, and everyday life of Iraqi citizens living under the weight of the UN sanctions and the chaos of another war. Chan will be joined by members of the Ruckus Society and United for Peace and Justice to talk about alternative and utopian visions and radical change.

Paul Chan is a 2003 Rockefeller Foundation New Media Arts Fellow and director of an online political/aesthetic think tank www.nationalphilistine.com.

For more information on the Iraq peace team project:
http://www.iraqpeaceteam.org

-Programmed by Marianne Shanneen.

For more information, please visit www.ocularis.net

Posted by Brian Stefans at 10:15 AM
April 01, 2003
newyork2baghdad: Puke In

[This may be a first... but glad to see my hometown newspaper is creating some waves. Waiting for the pictures to come in.]

Friends, a fellow snapshotter has asked us to let you know about a, well... uh, Puke-In at Fox tomorrow, Tuesday at 2:30pm to protest the media's, and fox's in particular, coverage of the war. If you feel similarly queezy when you hear O'Reilly et al beating the drums of war then join us while we let Fox know how much we appreciate their un-biased coverage of the war. find out more about Fox bias here:

http://www.bergenrecord.com/

Details of Puke In:

Tuesday, April 1st 2:30pm meet in park at 6th ave and 48th, and move to warm dining area. Bring 2 bottles of water, one for colored KoolAid, one for rehydration purposes. Wear business attire, but dress warm as it will be in the 20s. Also wear a bright orange ribbon on your lapel so we can identify one another. We will supply cherry, apple and blueberry pie for your consumption in addition to the koolaid. Ipacac will also be provided if thinking about Geraldo Rivera (at least they dumped him) doesn't make you vomit. please contact 718.857.4413 to coordinate.

Posted by Brian Stefans at 12:21 AM
March 31, 2003
The Works on Shirts Project: WEARNICA

On May 3rd, 2003, The Works on Shirts Project invites you to take part in "WEARNICA", an international exhibition of artistic reactions to war. On the day of the event, participants in cities around the world will form walking art galleries, wearing original works they've created on the backs of white dress shirts into museums and monuments, parks and shopping malls to help raise public awareness of the realities of war in our time.

On February 5th, Colin Powell stood before the U. N. to make his case for a new resolution authorizing the U.S. to take military action against Iraq. Notably absent was Picasso's "Guernica" [...]

perhaps one of the the twentieth century's greatest, most unsettling artistic images depicting the brutal, self-destructive nature of war. Under pressure from the U.S. Government, The tapestry was covered prior to the Secretary of State's speech out of concern that the painting's message might speak to historical parallels that the Bush administration and UN officials were clearly determined that the media or the public should not make.

In response, the Works on Shirts Project (http://www.worksonshirts.org) has initiated this historic event to give people in the U.S. and around the world an opportunity to follow Picasso's example by publicly expressing their own personal reactions to the war in Iraq and continuing conflicts throughout the world.

Here's what YOU can do:

By staging an event in your area, making a financial contribution or just spreading the word, you can help send a message to the Bush administration, the U.N. and the world that the power of art to reveal the horrors of war and the promise of peace cannot be covered up.

The Idea is Simple:

By creating original war-inspired artwork that can be worn as clothing, it's possible to stage an art exhibition in any location open to the public. As long as the participants conform to the standard behavior for the general public in the space, the white dress shirts will visually tie the pieces together, and the images will speak for themselves.

Toronto Star art critic Peter Goddard wrote of the Guernica coverup: "If there is a war with Iraq, there's already been the first casualty — art." We can change that. Where one image has been silenced, a thousand may drown out the drums of war forever.

Those interested in learning more about this event and how they can participate should visit: http://www.worksonshirts.org

Posted by Brian Stefans at 06:22 PM
March 26, 2003
Rockefeller Center "Die In"

Thursday, March 27th 2003 8:00 AM

conduct civil disobedience or go give your support in legal protest!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NO BUSINESS AS USUAL
MASSIVE NON-VIOLENT CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE
DIE-IN AT ROCKEFELLER CENTER: 5th Ave. at 50th St. NYC

This direct action will target the media/government collusion that is promoting the war to further corporate interests. The Rockefeller Center area was chosen as the target since many media giants and corporations have offices there or nearby.

The plan is for a massive die-in on 5th Avenue at Rockefeller Center, with coordinated actions planned by affinity groups throughout the city.

There will also be space for a legal protest at the action.

Location:
5th Ave. at 50th St. New York New York
http://www.M27coalition.org

Posted by Brian Stefans at 08:03 PM
March 21, 2003
Direct Action Weekend

Friends,
Along with the Saturday march in NYC, groups large and small are gathering to increase the heat on the streets. For those interested in engaging in non-violent direct action there are two meetings planned for Sunday, March 23, plus the Baghdad Snapshot Sunday Action....

arrest_me.jpg

One:
Sunday, March 23, 10AM
----------------------
This meeting is for an action involving a number of different groups and will happening either Sunday or Monday. Location for the meeting is strictly on need-to-know basis. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU ARE INTERESTED:
manwichartist@yahoo.com or call me: 212-966-0804

TWO:
Sunday, March 23, 5PM
----------------------
United Methodist Church
145 W. 4th St
This meeting is for a larger style direct action/protest for the coming week/s. Open to any and all.

THREE:
Sunday, March 23, 9PM
---------------------
Baghdad Snapshot Action (rain day)
The BSA crew will be on the streets Sunday night postering pics all around Manhatten. To get involved contact: newyork2baghdad@riseup.net

P.

Baghdad Snapshot Action
http://www.nationalphilistine.cok

Iraq peace team
http://www.iraqpeaceteam.org

United for peace and justice
http://www.unitedforpeace.org

Posted by Brian Stefans at 01:57 PM
POETS FOR PEACE reminder

POETS FOR PEACE will also assemble for the Peace March on Saturday March 22
at 11:00am. Location: Gotham Book Mart at 41 W 47th St (between 5th and 6th
Aves). We will begin walking to the main rally at approximately 11:30am.
Main rally held on Broadway between 38th and 42nd Sts.

mar22.gif

Posted by Brian Stefans at 01:45 PM
March 20, 2003
Protest 5PM Times Square TODAY!

United for Peace and Justice NYC
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/nyc 212-603-3700
====================================
>>EMERGENCY PROTEST 5:00PM TODAY
>>CONVERGE ON TIMES SQUARE
>>FROM ALL DIRECTIONS
>>important details below
====================================
NYC Anti-War March this Saturday, 3/22
Assemble at noon
Broadway between 36th & 41st Streets
March to Washington Square Park
details at http://www.unitedforpeace.org/nyc
====================================

The war has begun; it's time to get out in the streets! However you choose to express your feelings on this sad and ominous day - through solemn vigils, loud marches, or nonviolent direct action - we urge you to take immediate and visible action.

Converge on Times Square from all directions today at 5:00PM. If the police have blocked access to the Square, we will flood the surrounding streets with our cries for peace. After the Times Square protest has run its course, people will proceed to Washington Square Park for a candlelight vigil.

*Bring a portable radio tuned to WBAI 99.5 for important news & updates.
*Program these legal support numbers into your cellphone before you go, & call if you see arrests happen, or are arrested yourself: (212) 679-6018 and
(917) 807-0658
*The weather forecast calls for rain and temperatures in the 40s. Dress appropriately! Sturdy boots, wool socks if possible, rain gear, and a hat. Avoid cotton clothing, which draws heat away from your body when wet.
*Carry a valid photo ID, and don't bring anything that the police could construe as a weapon (e.g., a pocketknife or Leatherman tool)
*Bring signs, whistles, pots & pans, drums

There will be no permit for the emergency protest at Times Square. You have the legal right to protest on the sidewalk without a permit, providing pedestrian traffic is not obstructed, but we cannot predict how the police will actually respond to our presence. Marching or protesting on the street would be an act of civil disobedience.

We expect substantial numbers of people to show up for the Times Square emergency protest, and we will have the strength, solidarity, and support of one another. But if you are someone who absolutely cannot risk arrest at all - for example, if you are an immigrant who might face deportation - you might choose to attend one of the other NYC emergency protests:
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/calendar.php?caltype=8&area=33

Groups that will take part in today\'s protest are strongly encouraged to meet at one of the following spots and proceed to Times Square in a group. We've listed the groups that have already signed up for different meeting spots; please call UFPJ at (212) 603-3700 to let us know where your group will be meeting, and to give us a cellphone contact so we can communicate with you during the protest.

COLUMBUS CIRCLE, 59th Street & Broadway
Mobilize New York (meet at 4:30PM)
Reclaim the Streets (meet at 4:30PM)
Carnival Bloc (meet at 4:30PM)
Youth Bloc

CARNEGIE HALL, 57th Street & 7th Avenue
Peace Williamsburg
R.U. for Peace

BRYANT PARK, 42nd Street & 6th Avenue
War Resisters League

NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY (42nd Street & 5th Avenue)
Jews Against the Occupation
Free Palestine Contingent (meet at 4:00PM)

MAIN POST OFFICE, 34th Street & 8th Avenue
New Yorkers Say No to War
MADRE
Peace Initiative Turkey

===================================
United for Peace and Justice NYC
330 West 42nd Street, 15th floor
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/nyc 212-603-3700
====================================
_____________________________________________________
To unsubscribe or update your listing go to:
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/email.php?id=32469&token=890282

Posted by Brian Stefans at 03:17 PM
Reminder for Baghdad Snapshot Action Tonight

5jan_2.jpg

Baghdad Snapshot Action 2

Thursday, March 20th, 9pm
548 W 21st Street near 11th ave
south side of street, ring artists studio bell
(emergency contact: Elise 917.572.4909)

What to bring:
- gallon buckets
- brushes
- clear packing tape
- friends
- cars

We¹ll have thousands of flyers, some supplies, legal information & postering tips at the meeting. If you're bringing your own wheatpaste (wall paper paste powder) bring brushes and a bucket. You can mix it up at the meeting.

United for Peace and Justice has called for a convergence at Times Square at 5pm in response to the start of the war. Pace yourself, get some food, keep warm and recoup. We'll see you at 9. Stay strong.

poster-activism info:
http://www.robbieconal.com/guerrilla_guide_a.html

civil disobedience handbooks + legal info:
http://www.actupny.org/documents/CDdocuments/CDindex.html
http://www.nlg.org/resources/kyr/kyr_english.htm

Baghdad Snapshot Action Crew:
http://www.nationalphilistine.com
newyork2baghdad@riseup.net

Posted by Brian Stefans at 03:15 PM
March 19, 2003
POETS' ANTI-WAR INITIATIVES THIS WEEKEND

Friday March 21 at 1pm on the steps of The Main Branch of The New York Public Library in response to www.poetsagainstthewar.org 's call for World Poetry Day, "poets against the war", "poets for Peace" and "POETRY IS NEWS" invites all poets to read poems against the war and poems on topical themes like the culture of peace, non-violence, tolerance etc. Rain or shine. Look for the "poets for Peace" banner.

Saturday March 22 at 11a.m. meet in front of Gotham Book Mart at 41 West 47th Street as we assemble for the www.unitedforpeace.org march planned for 12 noon on Broadway between 38th and 42nd Street. At approximately 11:30a.m. we will make our way to the main rally. Look for "poets for Peace" and or "Guernica" banner.

Posted by Brian Stefans at 07:30 PM
March 18, 2003
Thu-20 March NYC Baghdad Snapshot Action

Dear friends in New York & Everywhere,

This Thursday 20 March at 9pm will be our second action! We hope that other crews in cities & towns in the US & around the World will poster on the same evening, acting in global solidarity as we continue to give people the opportunity to look into the faces of the citizens of Baghdad.

If you are interested in participating — PLEASE send us an email on Wednesday night about where we are meeting for this Thursday action: newyork2baghdad@riseup.net.

For more information about this project which seeks to share images of Baghdad citizens with people in other parts of the world - please visit our web site:

http://www.nationalphilistine.com

The next few days are fateful ones. The seeming inevitability of this reckless war can cause a sadness in our hearts that could begin to separate & immobilize us -- but it is precisely now at this moment when we must work together & strongly, visibility wage actions for justice.

For the NYC Baghdad Action, where the preparations stand & what you can do to help: As stated in the previous email, this time out we don't have a budget.

-- We need help making copies of the Snapshot Flyers & providing supplies for postering. If you can print any number out, or make copies, or contribute some cash to this please contact us asap.

-- Forward this to people you think might be interested in participating on Thursday bring supplies for postering:
wide clear tape
staple guns & staples
wheatpaste (or wall paper powder), buckets, brushes.

Bring your car, bring friends.

If you are busy, broke, carless, alone-- don't worry about it-- come!

Be sure to check email on Wednesday for meeting location information & other details.

As you can see we have a new email address, we have not been able to access the yahoo account. Many addresses have been lost, please forward this email on. Also, please reply to this address & in the subject line state where you live, so we have this demographic information.

Thank you. NO WAR.

The Baghdad Snapshot Action Crew
newyork2baghdad@riseup.net.

Posted by Brian Stefans at 09:02 PM
United for Peace and Justice NYC: If War Begins

[There's another posting in the body of this one with suggestions for spontaneous vigils and things like that, pasted below.]

United for Peace and Justice NYC
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/nyc 212-603-3700
===============================================
EMERGENCY ANTI-WAR PROTEST TODAY!
Tuesday, March 18
5:00PM at Union Square
-----------------------------------------------
If war begins, CONVERGE ON TIMES SQUARE
5:00PM on the day the bombing starts
(the next day if bombing begins at night)
*important details below*
-----------------------------------------------

PROTEST TODAY!>>>
Against the wishes of the world, the Bush Administration seems almost certain to go to war by the end of this week. Speak out against this madness at an emergency NYC anti-war protest today, Tuesday, March 18, at 5:00PM in Union Square. Bring signs and make noise.

IF WAR BEGINS>>>
If the war does indeed begin, get out on the streets immediately and join with millions around the world in demanding an end to the bloodshed. There are many ways to express your opposition to war - from silent vigils to loud marches to nonviolent direct action.

In New York City, there will be a massive protest in Times Square at 5:00PM on the day the bombing starts (the next day if bombing begins at night).

Converge on Times Square from all directions. If the police have blocked access to the Square, we will flood the surrounding streets with our cries for peace.

*Bring a portable radio tuned to WBAI 99.5 for important news & updates. *Program the legal support numbers into your cellphone before you go, & call if you see arrests happen, or are arrested yourself: (212) 679-6018 and (917) 807-0658 *Carry a valid photo ID, and don't bring anything that the police could construe as a weapon (e.g., a pocketknife or Leatherman tool)

Organizations are strongly encouraged to meet at one of the following spots and proceed to Times Square in a group. We've listed the groups that have already signed up for different meeting spots; please call (212) 603-3700 or write laklak@erols.com to let us know where your group will be meeting, and to give us a cellphone contact so we can communicate with you during the protest. We will list the group names on our website, but we will keep your cellphone number confidential.

COLUMBUS CIRCLE (59th Street & Broadway)
Mobilize New York Reclaim the Streets Carnival Bloc Youth Bloc

CARNEGIE HALL (57th Street & 7th Avenue)
Peace Williamsburg

BRYANT PARK (42nd Street & 6th Avenue)

MAIN POST OFFICE (34th Street & 8th Avenue)
New Yorkers Say No to War MADRE

HERALD SQUARE (34th Street & Broadway)

After the Times Square protest has run its course, people will proceed to Washington Square Park for a candlelight vigil.

*To view or list New York City anti-war events, visit http://www.unitedforpeace.org/nyc

*For a complete listing of "day after" events around the country: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/calendar.php?caltype=8&old=old

*To view or list other New York "day after" events, go to http://www.unitedforpeace.org/calendar.php?area=33 and search under "day after" for "event type"

Keep checking our website at http://www.unitedforpeace.org/nyc for more details and updates, plus information about our Saturday, March 22 anti-war march.

As you may have heard, we have (finally) received a permit for the 3/22 anti-war march. Gather at noon on Saturday on Broadway between 36th & 42nd Streets for a march down to Washington Square Park. More details will follow later this week.

TO SUBSCRIBE to these alerts, visit http://www.unitedforpeace.org/email.php

TO VOLUNTEER with UFPJ NYC, send a blank email to nycvolunteers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com you'll receive specific requests for volunteer assistance (approx one email per day)

LEAFLETS, STICKERS, & POSTERS are available at the UFPJ office, 330 West 42nd Street, 15th floor, 9-8 weekdays, 12-5 weekends
----------------------------------------------------

WHAT WILL WE DO WHEN BUSH GOES TO WAR?

While millions of people around the world and throughout this country continue to do everything possible to prevent the Bush administration from going to war against Iraq, the latest news is bad.

In every corner of the U.S. -- and all around the globe -- many people are already planning protests for the day a war begins, or the day after. We urge you to contact your local groups to find out what is planned and how you can help. If nothing is planned, it is not too late to organize an event. The most important thing is that hundreds of anti-war protests take place in cities and towns all across the country!

*Post information about your protest at http://www.unitedforpeace.org Look for the yellow "ADD" button on the left side of the page, under "Anti-War Related Events"

*Find out about protests in your area by searching the "Anti-War Related Events" listings at http://www.unitedforpeace.org

Some ideas for action:

1) A candlelight vigil in the center of town or in front of a federal building (court house, post office, military installation, any other federal facility).

2) A rally in a central location.

3) A march through a populated part of your city, which could start or end with a rally.

4) Meetings at schools, universities, places of work, community centers, religious institutions.

5) Walk-outs from schools and/or work places...people can then join a march or rally with others.

6) Vigils, picket lines or other protests at the local offices of your Congressional representatives demanding they use the power of their office to stop the president.

7) Non-violent civil disobedience at any appropriate locations: a federal building, a defense contractor, the office of a politician who voted for war, key streets or intersections in your city. If this war begins, we should find creative ways to interrupt the "normal" flow of life. For more information on nationally coordinated, local civil disobedience efforts, contact http://www.peacepledge.org/resist

It is critically important that we move quickly, in the most unified ways possible, and that we project to the media the strong opposition to this war. United for Peace and Justice will do whatever we can to let the media know what is happening throughout the country. But for us to do this work we must hear from you. Please be sure to post the information about your local actions on our web site....and do so immediately: http://www.unitedforpeace.org

For more information please call us at 212-603-3700, or at 202-862-9740, ext. 3038.

Also, now is a key time to show your support for United for Peace and Justice by making a financial contribution. Please make the most generous donation you can, so we can intensify our work in the days ahead. You can make a secure online credit card donation right now at http://www.unitedforpeace.org/donate

or send a check made payable to "United for Peace and Justice" to:

United for Peace and Justice
P.O. Box 607
Times Square Station
New York, NY 10108

(Your check of $100 or more will be tax deductible if you make it out to "Peace Action Education Fund" and mail it to United for Peace and Justice at the post office box above.)

Finally, these are difficult days for everyone, but we must not become discouraged. If this war begins it will be even more important that we redouble our efforts to bring the war to an end as quickly as possible. Now is not the time to stop!

Posted by Brian Stefans at 11:28 AM
March 17, 2003
World Poetry Day, March 21 - Poets Against the War

The world stands on the brink of war. It appears increasingly likely – though not certain – that the Bush administration will trigger an assault against Iraq within the next few days, despite the disapproval of the vast majority of citizens in virtually every country in the world. Such an attack would be an unjust war, in violation of international law, and an immoral refusal to seek peaceful resolution of conflict when such a resolution is possible.

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has declared March 21 to be World Poetry Day, with an emphasis on poetry with “topical themes like the culture of peace, non-violence, tolerance, etc.” (See www.unesco.org/culture/creativity/literature/html_eng/poesie1.shtml)

Poets Against the War calls upon poets everywhere to transform March 21, World Poetry Day, into a day of poetry against the war, to organize readings of poetry against the war in cities, towns, villages, and homes, and to present the 13,000 poems that have been published on the poetsagainstthewar.org web site to governments everywhere.

To create a reading for World Poetry Day, go to
poetsagainstthewar.org/createreading.asp.

To create a presentation to a government or organization of 13,000 antiwar poems, plus a list of 12,000 poets and a chapbook of 35 highlighted poems from poetsagainstthewar.org, go to poetsagainstthewar.org/downloadpoems.asp.

Yours for peace,
Poets Against the War

-----------------------------------------------

**We still need your help. Please donate now!**

We have current large debts and some very large future expenses to pay for,
and we still need your help to make a powerful statement against the war.
Please make the most generous donation you can to Poets Against the War.
Visit poetsagainstthewar.org, and click on Donate.

Or send checks payable to "Poets Against the War" to:

Poets Against the War
Box 1614
Port Townsend, WA 98368

For more information about donating to Poets Against the War, contact
donate@poetsagainstthewar.org. Peace and thanks.

Posted by Brian Stefans at 10:22 AM
March 13, 2003
Big NYC World Poetry Day Event

DIALOGUE THROUGH POETRY / WORLD POETRY DAY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Prominent Poets and High School Students Celebrate World Poetry Day in New York City and Read Poems About Peace.

CONTACT: Ram Devineni, Program Coordinator

1-212-560-7459 / 1-212-723-4125 or devineni@dialoguepoetry.org

Renowned poets Robert Creeley, Marilyn Hacker, Vijay Seshadri, Grace Schulman, Amiri and Amini Baraka join High School students from around the world to celebrate UNESCO’s World Poetry Day and the United Nation’s “Dialogue Among Civilizations” on Wednesday, March 19, 2003 at 8:00 PM at Mason Hall, Baruch College, 17 Lexington Ave. at 23rd St. in New York City. The event is free and open to the public. In addition, UN Ambassadors will also read their poems.

High School students from around the world were asked to write poems about the United Nations and how it can foster peace in these troubling times. The free competition was organized by the CCNY Poetry Outreach Center, which has hosted the Spring Poetry Festival for over 30 years, Rattapallax magazine, and Baruch College Performing Arts Center. The New York City winners include Katarzyna Kozanecka from Stuyvesant High School and Mohammed Abbasi from Brooklyn Technical High School.

Also, prominent women poets will join Swami Ramananada for a reading dedicated to the United Nations’ Declaration on the “Elimination of All Forms of Violence Against Women” on March 20, 2003 at 8:00 PM at the New York Open Center, 83 Spring Street, New York City. Some of the featured poets include Veronica Golos, Haale, Maria Terrone, D.H. Melhem, Flavia Rocha, Elaine Schwager, Daniela Gioseffi, Ruth Nolan, and many others. The reading coincides with a three-day program organized by Nela Rio at St. Thomas University, Fredericton, Canada.

Robert Creeley has published more than sixty books of poetry in the United States and abroad, including Just in Time: Poems 1984-1994. His honors include the Lannan Lifetime Achievement Award, the Frost Medal, the Shelley Memorial Award, a National Endowment for the Arts grant, a Rockefeller Foundation grant, and fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation. Marilyn Hacker is the author of nine books, including Presentation Piece, which received the National Book Award in 1975. Her Selected Poems was awarded the Poets' Prize in 1996. She now lives in New York and Paris, and is director of the M.A. program in English literature and creative writing at the City College of New York. Vijay Seshadri was born in India and lives in Brooklyn, NY. Graywolf Press published a collection of his poetry, Wild Kingdom. He is Chair, Writing Program in Non-Fiction at Sarah Lawrence College. Grace Schulman's The Paintings of Our Lives, was released by Houghton Mifflin in February, 2001. She is Poetry Editor of the Nation, and former director of the Poetry Center, 92nd Street Y. Amiri Baraka’s wrote the play the Dutchman, which won an Obie Award for "best off-Broadway play" and was made into a film. In 1983, he and Amina Baraka edited Confirmation: An Anthology of African-American Women, which won an American Book Award and in 1987 they published The Music: Reflections on Jazz and Blues. Amiri Baraka’s literary prizes and honors include fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, the PEN/Faulkner Award, the Rockefeller Foundation Award for Drama, and the Langston Hughes Award.

For more information about the program please visit http://www.dialoguepoetry.org



Posted by Brian Stefans at 12:11 PM
United for Peace: Our Chance to Stop the War and Reclaim Democracy Now

National campaign of civil disobedience in Washington DC, and throughout the country, starting on March 17

Dear Friends,

The world stands on the cusp of war - or peace. Each day the Bush Administration becomes more isolated in the United Nations and in the court of world opinion. Now, their one major ally, Tony Blair, is losing his grip on power and it is very unlikely the U.S. can win even a symbolic majority in the UN Security Council.

It would be foolish of us, however, to become too hopeful, to feel any certainty that we can stop a blizzard of "precision-guided munitions" raining down on innocent Iraqi families. The president and his advisors have gambled so much on this disastrous strategy that they may go to war simply to save face.

What can we do to tip the balance?

Three days ago, on March 9, United for Peace and Justice convened an emergency national meeting in Washington, DC, attended by 100 people from over 40 national organizations and local coalitions, to answer this question. We agreed on a short-term program, including coordinated local actions, strong responses if Bush does go to war, and doing the work needed to strengthen United for Peace and Justice and build a permanent campaign.

Most importantly, we enthusiastically united around an Emergency Action Plan to Stop the War--over the next two weeks. The highlight of the plan is a national campaign of civil disobedience in Washington DC, and throughout the country, starting on March 17.

To be successful, we need your help to carry it out. If every one of the 31,000 people receiving this email takes at least one of the actions below, and forwards it to everyone they know, we can begin to reclaim our democracy as we generate a storm of protest and visible outrage aimed at Congress and the media.

NOW IS TO THE TIME TO DO ALL WE CAN TO STOP THIS WAR.

A. Immediate Congressional Pressure

This week, on Thursday, March 13 and Friday, March 14, call, email, fax or visit the office of your Congressional Representative and Senators. Demand their immediate action to block the president's rush to war. Tell them you will be at their office on Monday, March 17 and will stay as long as necessary to get their agreement. What kind of action should they take? Sign on to Rep. Peter DeFazio¹s HJ Res. 20, to repeal the war resolution, or Senators Kennedy's and Byrd's S.Res. 32, to require the President to return to Congress for authorization to use force.

B. Join Anti-War Protests in Washington, DC this Weekend.

If you can, come to Washington, DC for the March 15 rally organized by International ANSWER at the Washington Monument, and stay over for March 17. On that day, United for Peace and Justice will blockade the Capitol. The National Youth and Student Peace Coalition, the Iraq Pledge of Resistance and the National Peace Lobby Project (all part of United for Peace and Justice) have taken a lead role in organizing this important action. We will demand that Congress rescind its war resolution of last October and call for a peaceful resolution of the Iraq situation. Contact reclaimthecapitol@yahoo.com and see www.unitedforpeace.org for more information on this emergency nonviolent direct action protest, including the time and location of the civil disobedience training on March 16. We also urge you to participate in the worldwide candlelight vigil at 7 PM on March 16, organized by Win Without War and MoveOn (go to http://www.globalvigil.org ww.globalvigil.org/> for more information).


C. Make Your Voice Heard at Home on March 17th

If you cannot come to Washington, convene your local coalition - or create one right now - and plan to sit-in at your Member of Congress' office this coming Monday, March 17. And right away post your action on the United for Peace and Justice website: www.unitedforpeace.org The power of our collective action is magnified one hundred times by our ability to bring it all together and "project" it out to the mass media. The media want to hear from us, so please let us know what you're doing.

D. Make a Much Needed Donation

Go to http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=160 and make an immediate donation to United for Peace and Justice. We've set up an Action office in Washington DC, we're mobilizing nationwide to make March 17 the loudest possible cry of distress, and we're working to ensure the best media coverage possible. Your financial support is critical to the success of this campaign. Send whatever you can, as much as you can--$5 or $50 or $500, but please send something today.

Time is very short, and we're counting on you. Think about our responsibilities, as the people of this country, to the rest of the world and to the children of Iraq. Let us not waste a moment to do all we can to stop this war.

In peace and hope,

Andrea Buffa
Leslie Cagan
Bill Fletcher, Jr.
Co-Chairs, United for Peace and Justice

Posted by Brian Stefans at 12:00 PM
March 12, 2003
BAGHDAD SNAPSHOT ACTION: Court Appearance

[Just got this in from Paul Chan, essentially covering what was said in an earlier post but with the gritty details and some useful links.]

So,
Emilie and Lytle, who were arrested for posting pictures of Iraqis in Soho, will have their day in court tomorrow morning at the Criminal Court of Manhattan. The Baghdad Snapshot Action Crew will be their to support them. You should show up with your friends and support them too. Info below.

---------------------------------------------
The Criminal Court of Manhattan,
100 Center Street (near Franklin and Leonard)
9am on Thursday, March 13.
---------------------------------------------

Our appearance is scheduled for 9:30. We think it's in a section of this building called Part DAT, though we don't know, yet, where this is. Which is why we're suggesting meeting outside.

Also, we've now spoken to lawyers who have advised us that the many emails we've gotten from people all over the country (and world, in fact) should be produced in court.

So if you feel outraged by what happened but have not yet written anything about it, this may me a good time for a brief note to us.

The immediate goal is a successful not-guilty plea. But we may also sue the city.

Please email us if you have questions.
emilie@sharkbooks.com
shark@erols.com

BAGHDAD SNAPSHOT ACTION
http://www.nationalphilistine.com

IRAQ PEACE TEAM
http://www.iraqpeaceteam.org

RECENT PROFILE OF BSA in NYPRESS
http://www.nypress.com/16/11/nyc/

Posted by Brian Stefans at 09:27 PM
March 11, 2003
Lytle Shaw and Emilie Clark: Court Appearance

[Here's an email going around about the court appearance which Lytle gave me permission to post on Circulars. Accounts of their arrest can be found here and here.

Dear Friends,

After our arrest during the Baghdad Snapshot postering Feb 13 many of you have asked if you could support us at our court date, which is set for March 13.

We would very much appreciate that and are sending out this email to let you know where and when.

We're going to meet at The Criminal Court of Manhattan, 100 Center Street (near Franklin and Leonard) at 9am on Thursday, March 13.

Our appearance is scheduled for 9:30. We think it's in a section of this building called Part DAT, though we don't know, yet, where this is. Which is why we're suggesting meeting outside.

Also, we've now spoken to lawyers who have advised us that the many emails we've gotten from people all over the country (and world, in fact) should be produced in court.

So if you feel outraged by what happened but have not yet written anything about it, this may me a good time for a brief note to us.

The immediate goal is a successful not-guilty plea. But we may also sue the city.

Please email us if you have questions.

Thanks again,
Lytle Shaw and Emilie Clark

Posted by Brian Stefans at 08:20 PM
Salt Publishing: 100 Poets Against The War

Todd Swift (Ed.)
204pp perfect bound
216 x 140mm, 8.5 x 5.5 inches
ISBN 1-876857-98-6
Australia $27.95 (including GST)
USA $13.95
UK £9.95

http://www.saltpublishing.com/

The most talked-about and successful ebook of recent years is published here for the first time in paperback. “100 Poets Against The War,” a trilogy of downloadable electronic chapbooks was first published online on January 27, 2003 and has since made world-wide news from the LA Times to the Moscow dailies. This book holds the record for the fastest poetry anthology ever assembled and disseminated; first planned on January 20, 2003 and published in this form on March 3, 2003.

The grass-roots appeal of peace poetry has seen this book shared by tens of thousands, and read at peace demonstrations from Seattle to the Middle East. It has spawned French, German and Brazilian versions, and continues to inspire those who oppose a unilateral, US-led strike against the people of Iraq. It marks a moment in the history of resistance to war.

Elmaz Abinader: from How It's Been;
Robert Adamson: My Collaboration with George Bush;
Antler: Pretending to Be Dead;
John Asfour: Mark the Day;
Rachel Bentham: War-the concise version;
Margo Berdeshevsky: Equinox, Africa;
Charles Bernstein: All Set;
bill bissett: war is gud 4 bizness in th 19th centur;
Pat Boran: A Natural History of Armed Conflict;
George Bowering: The Good Prospects;
Di Brandt: the killing fields;
Stephen Brockwell: Hyperbole for a Large Number;
Michael R. Brown: Priests' Skulls;
Tony Brown: What You Call It;
Minnie Bruce Pratt: After the Anti-War March;
Rip Bulkeley: transit;
Jason Camlot: Water Dragon;
J. R. Carpenter; Averse to War;
James Cervantes: I Dream of War;
Sherry Chandler: Haunted House, October 2002;
Patrick Chapman: Hot Milk;
Sampurna Chattarji: Easy;
Nuala N1 Chonchuir: Anna's Meal;
Conyus:blood in the snow;
Mahmoud Darwish: Other Barbarians Will Come Along;
Robert Davidson: The Red Beast;
Jennifer Dick: On Election Day;
Danika Dinsmore: on the night she didn't feel like it anymore;
Ana Doina: Press conference;
Michael Donaghy: The Tragedies;
Kate Evans:Unleashed;
Ruth Fainlight: The Garden of Eden;
Annie Finch: Gulf War and Child: A Curse;
Susan Freeman: Sim Shalom;
Myrna Garanis: the war is on the kitchen table;
Sandra M. Gilbert: January meadow;
Ethan Gilsdorf: The Land of Hope;
Daniela Gioseffe: The First Long Range Artillery Fire Over My City;
Graywyvern: Christendom;
Susan Gubernat: Women Washing Clothes in the Kabul River;
Marilyn Hacker: Letter to Hayden Carruth;
Nathalie Handal: Even;
David Harsent: Filofax;
John Hartley Williams: News Theatre;
Kevin Higgins: Talking with the Cat about World Domination the Day George W.
Bush almost Choked on a Pretzel;
Bob Holman: For The Birds;
Ranjit Hoskote: This Sky of Lost Miles;
Fadel K. Jabr: Waiting for the Marines;
Bruce A. Jacobs: Brainstorm;
Larry Jaffe: Mothers Cry;
Fred Johnston: No War Then;
Pat Jourdan: Sirens;
rYAN kAMSTRA: pEACE iCON 21c;
Wednesday Kennedy: Bubble Girl Song;
Mimi Khalvati: The Servant;
John Kinsella: Candle, Flame, Stained Glass and Prayer for Peace;
Kasandra Larsen: We Believe;
John B. Lee: A Dark Little Psalm Against War;
Tony Lewis-Jones: At Home, At War;
Robin Lim: Good Morning Middle Age;
Sue Littleton: Regime Change Begins at Home;
Jennifer LoveGrove: Untitled;
Leza Lowitz: Women in Black;
Susan Ludvigson: To a Veteran of the Last Wrong War;
Nadine McInnis: Crossing Kurdistan;
Susan McMaster: Against the War;
Jeffrey Mackie: What Did Adorno Say?;
Sarah Maguire: The Pomegranates of Kandahar;
devorah major: a short list of short lists;
Aoife Mannix: Taking Sides;
Fred Marchant: Imminent;
Clive Matson: Still True?;
Robert Minhinnick: The Tooth;
Adrian Mitchell: To Whom it May Concern;
Suzy Morgan: An Untitled Place;
David Morley: Nets at Gennesaret;
Sinead Morrissey: In Praise of Salt;
Colin Morton: Other Demands;
George Murray: The Field;
Meghan Nuttall Sayres: No Seasons, Only Weather;
Sean O'Brien: Ballad;
Mary O'Donoghue: Long Sleeve, Short Sleeve;
Lisa Pasold: let us step around this time;
Richard Peabody: Dubya Anabasis;
Tom Phillips: Life after wartime;
David Plumb: All Those Home Spun Places;
Robert Priest: Are There Children;
Dawna Rae Hicks: Bigger Than Time;
Michael Redhill: Architecture (Musee Des Beaux Arts, Montreal);
Peter Robinson: Calm Autumn;
Mark Rudman: N.O.T.R.O.T.C.;
E. Russell Smith: This is the War that George Fought;
Grace Schulman: The Border;
Rebecca Sellars: Dear Lady, Fear No Poetry;
Eric Paul Shaffer: The Flying Flag;
Jackie Sheeler: Collateral Damage;
Hal Sirowitz: The Hawk Who Became a Dove;
Sonja A. Skarstedt: Psychotic Sea;
Mr. Social Control: The Man of Principle;
Kathleen Spivack: Peace Pilgrim;
Sean Street: The Day After;
Yerra Sugarman: To Mikl‹s Radn‹ti;
Moez Surani: Untitled;
George Szirtes: The Palace of Art;
Edwin Torres: King Rat;
Rebecca Villarreal: The Paloma's Lament;
Ken Waldman: Where there's War;
Phyllis Webb: Still there are Wars and Crimes of War;
Eleanor Wilner: The White-Throated Sparrow Can't Compare;
Ghassan Zaqtan: Beirut, August 1

Posted by Brian Stefans at 10:13 AM
March 09, 2003
PAW Presentations

"Britain is seething with anti-war activity at the moment. Our presentation at Downing St was interrupted by hundreds of schoolchildren, who had taken the day off from school to as part of a day of childrens protest about the war. They came charging down the Mall with their banners, blocked the road at the end of Downing St and all sat down. A couple of them tried to storm the iron gates, but they were hauled down by the police, who eventually set up barriers across the street, and hauled them off behind it. Two 12 year olds were arrested."


http://www.mrwebby.com/members/anthginn/Poetsagainstwar/10,000poems.htm

*

Accounts from around the world of the presentations of the Poets Against the War anthology:

United States, Washington, DC

by Emily Warn

At the noontime press conference on Capitol Hill, the words of W.S. Merwin, Terry Tempest Williams and Sam Hamill cast a spellbound silence over reporters and film crews, over members of Congress and the European Parliament who had all packed into a small conference room on Capitol Hill. It was a brief and dignified ceremony.

http://www.poetsagainstthewar.org/March5reports.asp

*

And extensive press coverage collected on one page:

March 8, 2003 Tens of thousands have visited the Poets Against the War web site since it first appeared on Thursday, January 30th, and news stories have appeared in scores of newspapers/radio/TV, etc. nationally and internationally about PAW and the cancellation by the White House of Laura Bush's poetry tea party. Following are a few links to news stories about Poets Against the War.

http://www.poetsagainstthewar.org/news.asp

Posted by Jonathan Skinner at 02:52 AM
March 07, 2003
MARCH 8: JOIN WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD TO CALL FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

For 92 years women around the world have been marking International Women’s Day with calls for a more peace and justice-centered world. We urge you to join in this rich tradition and COME TO WASHINGTON D.C. FOR THE WOMEN-LED ANTI-WAR MARCH ON SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 2003 (http://www.unitedforpeace.org/women) or organize an International Women’s Day Peace and Justice event in your community.

Post your events at
http://www.unitedforpeace.org

United for Peace and Justice and other groups have made International Women’s Day actions a priority both because of the impacts war has on women and children and because this year’s celebration falls on the day following Hans Blix’s next report to the United Nations Security Council.

MARCH 8 IN WASHINGTON, DC

11:00 a.m - RALLY at Malcolm X Park (16th St. between U and Euclid NW)

1:00 p.m. March to Encircle the White House

Join with Alice Walker, Maxine Hong Kingston, comedian Janeane Garofalo, Dr. Helen Caldicott, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, Granny D, Susan Griffith, Barbara Ehrenreich, Amy Goodman, Rania Masri, Michelle Shocked, feminist theologian Hyun Kyung, Nobel Peace Laureate Jody Williams, Cheri Honkala, Inga Muscio, Terry Tempest Williams, Medea Benjamin, Starhawk, and many others to say no to war and yes to policies that reflect the values of peace, compassion, generosity, and the recognition of the interconnectedness of the whole human family.

For details on the march and the week of women’s anti-war activities in Washington (including a lobbying day, teach-in, concert, and spiritual event), see www.unitedforpeace.org/women or www.codepink4peace.org or call The CodePink Women’s Peace Vigil at 202-393-5016.

For the past four months, women from around the country have traveled to Washington, DC to join CodePink to be a constant presence at the White House serving as a daily reminder to the Bush Administration that millions believe that a war on Iraq would be immoral, unjust, and would make United States citizens and service personnel less safe. This historic vigil will culminate on March 8th with the women-led rally and march to the White House

MARCH 8 AROUND THE WORLD

Global Women’s Strike

Women Say No War: Invest in Caring Not Killing
Strike to stop war on Iraq and All Wars

Join women (and men supporters) in 80 countries, from Venezuela to Nigeria. Activities in the U.S. are planned in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Salt Lake City, Utah, and several other cities. For more information, see http://womenstrike8m.server101.com

Second Annual International Women’s Day Global Peace Vigil

Last year more than 100 communities participated. The number this year is expected to be much larger. For more information, see
http://www.feministpeacenetwork.org/iwd.htm

Posted by Brian Stefans at 11:57 PM
March 05, 2003
United for Peace and Justice NYC Update

http://www.unitedforpeace.org/nyc
646-473-8935
---------------------------------------------------
reminder>> CANDLELIGHT MARCH FOR PEACE
WHEN: Wed., March 5, gather at 5:30PM
WHERE: Assemble at Hillary Clinton's office, 780 Third Ave. (47th & 48th)
BRING: Candles, signs and drums
Leaflets & more info:
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/calendar.php?calid=2394
-----------------------------------------------------
In this update:
1) March 5 Student Walkouts, Candelight March, & More
2) NYC City Council Anti-War Resolution
3) March 8 Intl Women's Day Action in DC
4) March 9 Nonviolent Civil Disobedience in DC
5) March 15 Protest at the White House
6) March 22 NYC Anti-War March
7) What to do if war begins
8) How to get more involved with UFPJ NYC
9) If you had a bad police experience on Feb. 15


------------------------------------------------------
1) WED., MARCH 5 DAY OF ANTI-WAR ACTION **NYC Student Walkouts and Convergence of Student Strikers: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/calendar.php?calid=2453 **National Student Strike: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/students and http://www.nyspc.net **Candlelight March for Peace: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/calendar.php?calid=2394

2) NYC CITY COUNCIL ANTI-WAR RESOLUTION The NYC City Council has been waffling on passing an anti-war resolution -- while 124 other cities and counties have voiced opposition to Bush's war. A strong majority of New Yorkers oppose war on Iraq; our Councilmembers need to hear how we feel about their inaction! A vote is scheduled March 12 -- we need to raise the pressure. To get involved, send a blank email to nycantiwar-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or write to Tim Eubanks, tim@abffe.com

3) SAT., MARCH 8: WOMEN'S PEACE ACTION IN D.C. On International Women's Day, thousands of people will converge on Washington for a women-led action to encircle the White House. More info: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?list=sub&sub=16

4) SUN. MARCH 9: NONVIOLENT CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE IN D.C. Protests with nonviolent CD are being planned for the morning and afternoon on Sunday, March 9, in Washington DC by the Iraq Pledge of Resistance. Please see www.peacepledge.org/resist for more information, or contact Pledge Coordinator at pledgecoordinator@starpower.net.

5) SAT., MARCH 15: MARCH ON THE WHITE HOUSE Emergency national demonstration against the war in Washington, D.C. More info: http://www.unitedforpeace.org

6) SAT., MARCH 22: NYC MARCHES AGAINST THE WAR Gather on Fifth Avenue at 59th Street at noon for a major New York City anti-war march, to promote peace abroad and civil liberties at home. Leaflets and more info available soon at http://www.unitedforpeace.org/nyc

7) WHAT TO DO IF WAR BEGINS Converge on Times Square at 5pm on the day the bombing starts (the next day if bombing begins at night)

8) SOME WAYS TO PLUG IN TO UFPJ NYC * Organizing listserve (low-volume, announcements only): ufpjnyc-subscribe@yahoogroups.com * Volunteers listserve (average one email per day, containing specific requests for volunteer assistance) nycvolunteers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com * Outreach working group: ufpj-nyc-outreach-subscribe@yahoogroups.com * Arts & Culture working group: contact thomasg@speakeasy.net or greenelent@earthlink.net * Outreach and mobilizing meeting, next Tuesday, March 4, 6:30PM at the UFPJ office, 330 W. 42nd St, 8th floor; 646-473-8935

9) BAD POLICE EXPERIENCE ON FEB. 15? The New York Civil Liberties Union still wants to hear from anyone who had a bad experience with the police on February 15: nyclu215@aol.com

And UFPJ NYC still wants your February 15 stories -- we apologize to everyone who had their emails bounce back to them, in our post-protest fatigue we let a few details slip. You can re-send them to feb15@unitedforpeace.org

Posted by Brian Stefans at 04:16 PM
March 04, 2003
MoveOn.org: Emergency Petition

We've launched an emergency petition from citizens around the world to the U.N. Security Council. We'll be delivering the list of signers and your comments to the 15 member states of the Security Council on THURSDAY, MARCH 6.

If hundreds of thousands of us sign, it could be an enormously important and powerful message -- people from all over the world joining in a single call for a peaceful solution. But we really need your help, and soon. Please sign and ask your friends and colleagues to sign TODAY at:

www.moveon.org/emergency/


In the next week, the U.N. Security Council will likely meet to decide on authorizing a war against Iraq. If the Council votes to accept a second resolution, it'll be very difficult to avert a war. But if the resolution doesn't get enough votes, it'll be a major setback for the Bush Administration's plans to invade and occupy Iraq.

In the United States and around the world, millions of us oppose a war against Iraq. We believe that tough inspections can disarm Saddam Hussein without the loss of a single life. This week may represent our last chance to win without war.

The stakes couldn't really be much higher. A war with Iraq could kill tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians and inflame the Middle East. According to current plans, it would require an American occupation of the country for years to come. And it could escalate in ways that are horrifying to imagine.

We can stop this tragedy from unfolding. But we need to speak together, and we need to do so now. Let's show the Security Council what world citizens think. You can add your voice at:

http://www.moveon.org/emergency/

Then please ask your friends, family, colleagues, acquaintances -- anyone you know who shares this concern -- to sign on today. As the New York Times put it, "there may still be two superpowers on the planet: the United States and world public opinion." The Bush Administration's been flexing its muscles. Now let's flex ours.

Sincerely, --Eli Pariser International Campaigns Director MoveOn.org March 3rd, 2003

P.S. Here's the letter we'll be delivering to the Security Council members along with the petition:

Dear Member of the U.N. Security Council,

We are citizens from countries all over the world. We are speaking together because we will all be affected by a decision in which your country has a major part -- the decision of how to disarm Iraq.

The first reason for its existence listed in the Preamble to the Charter of the United Nations is "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind." If your country supports a Security Council resolution that would authorize a war on Iraq, you will directly contradict that charter. You will be supporting an unnecessary war -- a war which immediately, and in its unknown consequences, could bring "untold sorrow to mankind" once again.

The U.N. was created to enable peaceful alternatives to conflict. The weapons inspections under way are a perfect example of just such an alternative, and their growing success is a testament to the potential power the U.N. holds. By supporting tough inspections instead of war, you can show the world a real way to resolve conflict without bloodshed. But if you back a war, it will undermine the very premise upon which the U.N. was built.

President Bush argues that only by endorsing a war on Iraq can the United Nations prove its relevance. We argue the opposite. If the Security Council allows itself to be completely swayed by one member nation, in the face of viable alternatives, common sense and world public opinion, then it will be diminished in its role, effectiveness, and in the opinion of humankind.

We do not support this war. For billions of citizens in hundreds of countries, and for the future generations whose lives will be shaped by the choice you make, we ask that you stand firm against the pressuring of the Bush Administration, and support tough inspections for Iraq. The eyes of the world are on you.

Sincerely,
[Number] citizens of the world.

Posted by Brian Stefans at 02:48 PM
February 28, 2003
Baghdad: Portrait of A City (talk with Paul Chan and Samer Shehata)

What does the air smell like in a city under the threat of war? How do Iraqis live, work, and play?
What is the art and poetry in Baghdad like? And what do ordinary Iraqis really think about Americans?

The Center for Media, Culture & History
and the Hagop Kevorkian Center present:

Baghdad: Portrait of A City

Paul Chan
in conversation with
Samer Shehata

Friday February 28/ 3:00 PM 5:30 PM
Kevorkian Center/ 50 Washington Square South/
Screening Room


New York artist Paul Chan recently spent one month (Dec. 2002 Jan. 2003) in Baghdad as a member of the Iraq peace team, a project of Voices in the Wilderness, a Nobel Peace prize nominated group working to end the sanctions against Iraq. The goals of IPT are to rally support for resisting a war on Iraq and publicize the effects of a possible or ongoing US assault on Iraqi civilians.

Chan will show photographs and talk about his work and experiences in Baghdad. He will offer a glimpse into the cultural, political and culinary life of Iraqi citizens living under the weight of the UN sanctions and the threat of another war.

The presentation will be followed by a conversation between Paul Chan and Dr. Samer Shehata of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. Professor Shehada is a leading expert on Middle East politics who recently traveled to Iraq as part of the National Council of Churches’ (USA) delegation.

For more information on the Iraq peace team project:
http://www.iraqpeaceteam.org

For more information on Paul Chan’s work in Baghdad:
http://www.nationalphilistine.com


This event is free and open to the public. Persons with a disability who may need assistance are requested to call
The Center for Media, Culture and History at 212.998.3759 in advance.
Program subject to change.

Barbara Abrash
Associate Director
Center for Media, Culture and History
New York University
25 Waverly Place
New York, N.Y. 10003
212.998.3759; fax 212.995.4730
barbara.abrash@nyu.edu
www.nyu.edu/gsas/dept/media

Posted by Brian Stefans at 01:36 AM
February 25, 2003
NYC City Council Hearing on Police Conduct During Feb 15. Protest

[I don't know much more about this, it just came into my inbox from a friend.]

PLEASE FORWARD. PLEASE ATTEND.

Tuesday, Feb. 25, 1 pm

City Hall
(4/5/6 to Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall, N/R to City hall, 1/9/A/C/E to Chambers, 2/3 to Park Place)

The City Council Governmental Operations Committee is holding an important oversight hearing about the police conduct during the February 15 anti-war demonstration including the denial of a march permit as well as the policing of the demonstration itself.

It is important that many people attend and fill the gallery.

Council member Perkins, the chair of the Committee, is heading the inquiry. For more information on the hearing or to find out how to testify call his office at 212-788-7396. Traditionally, opportunities are provided for public testimony at City Council hearings.

Posted by Brian Stefans at 10:36 AM
February 23, 2003
Poets Against the War: International Day of Poetry Against the War

Anti-war Poetry Readings

Everywhere on March 5!

Poems and Statements of 10,000 Poets to be Delivered to Congress

Poets Against the War is calling for an International Day of Poetry Against the War on Wednesday, March 5th. We are asking poets around the world to schedule readings and/or discussions of poetry and protest for that day, to join us in the largest gathering of poets in recorded history on the day in which we present members of the U.S. Congress with the largest single-theme anthology ever compiled.

In the coming days, many of them will be entered into the Congressional Record. On the evening of March 5th, we will hold a major poetry reading in Washington, DC, and ask others to lend their voices to ours in readings and conversations on that day.

Deadline for Submitting Poems: February 28 at Midnight. The Poets Against the War web site will continue to accept anti-war poems for publication until midnight, February 28. We will soon post a form for filing news of poetry readings to be held around the world on March 5th. The web site will remain open for reading poems at least through April, National Poetry Month.

We still need your help to make a powerful statement against the war. The money you give will be used to coordinate the movement, buy newspaper ads, make a documentary film, encourage public readings, and publish the web site. Please make the most generous donation you can to Poets Against the War. You can make a secure online donation using a credit card via PayPal. If you haven't used PayPal before, a brief and fairly painless registration process is required.

Or send checks payable to "Poets Against the War" to:

Poets Against the War
Box 1614
Port Townsend, WA 98368
For more information about donating to Poets Against the War, contact donate@poetsagainstthewar.org. Peace and thanks.

Posted by Brian Stefans at 11:56 AM
February 20, 2003
Theaters Against War: Warriors

http://www.thawaction.org/

THAW (Theaters Against War) will be broadcasting from WNYE 91.5 FM tomorrow, Friday Feb 21st from 8am-9am.

The hour will include short plays written for the upcoming THAW Action Day on March 2nd, a scene from the currently running Anti-War Comedy WARRIORS (information below), and much else.

THAW_logo.gif


WARRIORS
By Michel Garneau
Directed by Nicholas Keene
With Tony Torn & Nicholas Keene

@

The P.I.T
154 West 29th Street
(W. 29th street btw 7th & 6th Avenues)
New York, NY 10036

2nd FloorTickets $15
Discounts Available
FRI/SAT 10pm
CALL 212-367-8225 for Reservations
This weekend!!! POETS : 2 for 1

Posted by Brian Stefans at 08:43 PM
February 17, 2003
Lysistrata Project

www.lysistrataproject.com

On Monday, March 3rd, 2003, the first-ever world-wide theatrical event for peace will happen in a city near you. Don't miss this unique opportunity to stand up for peace in your community, and provide a humorous entry into a healthy dialogue about current affairs. Attend or help plan a reading of Lysistrata, Aristophanes' anti-war comedy, to protest the rush to war on Iraq. Many of the readings will benefit non-profit organizations working for peace and humanitarian aid in Iraq.

lplogosm.jpg


Posted by a.rawlings at 04:43 PM
Poets Against the War: Plea for Funds

Tomorrow morning, Monday, February 17, 2003, you will find a quarter-page ad from Poets Against the War on the Op Ed page of the New York Times. This ad was paid for by the many of you who sent contributions, and we thank you for allowing our collective voice to be heard. The ad is endorsed by two dozen of America's most influential and best-known poets, and it is signed in all our names, "Thousands of poets, one voice."

We continue to accept submissions of anti-war poems and statements. Please check the website for updates, for the latest information about readings and to enjoy the amazing anthology which is the heart and soul of Poets Against the War. You can now search the collection by poet's name, poem title and poet's location.

We continue to accept donations, as well. In addition to the New York Times ad, our future plans include coordinating a series of regional poetry readings in cities around the U.S., so that we may continue to bring attention to our cause. We are also producing a documentary about the Poets Against the War phenomenon and the readings that occurred in 160 cities on February 12, International Poetry Against the War Day. And I am currently editing a book of poems and statements selected from the website that will be published by The Nation in April.

Please click this link to donate to Poets Against the War, or you can send a check to: Poets Against the War, Box 1614, Port Townsend, WA 98368.

The many volunteers at PAW--designers, editors, developers, and support staff--all join me in expressing our profound gratitude to you for your moral and financial support, your wonderful letters of encouragement and, most especially, your poems. As we sort and post your work to the website, we are, all of us, very moved by what we read, moved sometimes to tears, moved more than we can say.

Peace,
Sam Hamill for Poets Against the War.

Posted by Brian Stefans at 01:34 PM
February 14, 2003
Know Your Rights - Street Law and Practice

A WARM WELCOME TO NEW YORK CITY

February 15th Legal Support

People's Law Collective(PLC) -- Association of Legal Aid Attorneys(ALAA) -- National Lawyers Guild ~NYC~ Mass Defense Committee (NLG)

We have a large number of identified (NLG = green hats, green badges ALAA = green armbands, PLC= red armbands) lawyers and legal observers on hand to try to ensure that the New York City Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, or any law enforcement agency choosing to join us today respects your lawful and peaceful events. Be fear-free in letting your voices be heard against this unjust war.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS - STREET LAW AND PRACTICE

General Law

- Do not have any item on your person that could be considered a weapon; even a small knife. Obviously ditto for illegal drugs as well.

- The NYPD has banned wooden posts (i.e. for banners). Sticks will be confiscated and you could risk arrest, but cardboard tubes have been allowed.

- The NYPD has in the past has charged protesters possessing Markers and Paint with possession of Graffiti Instruments.

The infamous mask ordinance (i.e. 3 or more in a mask or hood) was ruled unconstitutional in November 2002.

At Risk of Arrest?

- If you are at risk of arrest, you may wish to pass your valuables and irreplaceable items (like date and address book) to one who is not. Things do disappear in "the system."

- If you are at risk of arrest, please inform a legal observer of any medications you will need when in jail. You may be there 1-2 days.

- If you are at risk of arrest, eat a hearty meal. Prison food isn't.

Police Confrontation / Arrest Scenarios

- If you are not being arrested and a Police Officer approaches you and asks for ID or information, you do not have to identify yourself or provide any information unless you're driving at the time.

- If you are being arrested, you may not be read your rights, the

Police only have to tell you that you are under arrest - they only have to read you a "Miranda" warning when questioning you.

- Upon arrest do not say anything to the police other than "I am going to remain silent, I want to speak to a lawyer." Demand your lawyer immediately if you are being questioned or are at all confused about what the cops are saying. SILENCE=SAFE.

- If a Police Officer demands to search your bag or person (and you are not under arrest) say clearly "I do NOT Consent to this Search" (Wording is important). Do not interfere with the search.

- Megaphones are not legally permitted without prior NYPD approval - marchers with megaphones have in the past been arrested- this is especially used as an excuse to arrest folks, especially targeted folks like "Black Bloc members", people of color, etc.

- If you go "limp" when arrested you'll likely be charged with

resisting arrest. This is a misdemeanor.

- If arrested without Identification, or if you refuse to cooperate

after arrest, you may count on being put "through the system" - photo'ed, printed etc. This takes 12-36 hours; count on longer if many are arrested .

- If Arrested - a Legal Aid attorney will do the Arraignment. Later an NLG volunteer attorney may step in if necessary.

- QUESTION? - ASK A LEGAL OBSERVER

If arrested call: 212- 679-6018 (NLG)

or 917 807-0658 (PLC)

If you see people being arrested get their names and call 212-679-6018 (NLG)

or 917-807-0658 (PLC)

Please keep these numbers handy, write them on your arms and pass them on to your legal support people.

DISCLAIMER: The advice given here is meant as a general statement of the law, and should not substitute your spending a pile of money on a real flesh and blood lawyer.

Legal support for the February 15th demonstration against the war is organized by the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys, the People's Law Collective and the National Lawyers Guild NYC Chapter Mass Defense Committee.

Posted by Brian Stefans at 01:21 PM
nationalphilistine.com: Baghdad Snapshot Action goes online and worldwide

http://www.nationalphilistine.com/baghdad/

5jan.jpg

[New York City]-- On February 13, 2003, teams of artists and activists postered New York City with thousands of copies of snapshots from Baghdad. Quiet and casual, the snapshots show a part of Baghdad we rarely see: the part with people in it.

The snapshots were taken by a friend of ours who just got back from Baghdad working with the Iraq Peace Team (link below). Yes, he saw Iraqis suffering and struggling. But he also saw Iraqis dancing and laughing. This moved him because laughing under the weight of the UN sanctions and the threat of an absurd war is no easy task. We were moved because the people in the pictures remind us of our friends & family.

Thousands of snapshot posters now pepper Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. We want to show New York the people who will get both liberty and death in one fatal stroke if this war begins. We want you to show them in your city. The entire snapshot collection is online as pdfs. Print them out and poster them anywhere and everywhere.

http://www.nationalphilistine.com/baghdad/

For more info:
New York 2 Baghdad Crew

Baghdad Snapshot Action Spots, in no particular order: Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, San Fran, Philadelphia, Princeton, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Paris, Warsaw, Omaha, (your city here)

Other links:
http://unitedforpeace.orgJoin the movement

http://iraqpeaceteam.orgHelp them in Baghdad

Posted by Brian Stefans at 01:09 PM
February 12, 2003
Bombard the Media: Play with TODAY!

ACTION!!!

Day: February 14th 2003
Time: 6:00 am - 10:00 am
Title: BOMBARD THE MEDIA! Anti-War Rally at THE TODAY SHOW NY, NY
Location: at the corner of 49th St. and Rockefeller Plaza btwn 5th and 6th Aves.
Phone Contact: (212) 443-9977
Topic / Issue: Iraq
Sponsor: BOMBARD THE MEDIA!

why...

because they've been ignoring and misrepresenting the anti-war movement for months now, it's time we BOMBARD THE MEDIA!

an anti-war rally will be taking place at a live taping of THE TODAY SHOW. the show is taped from 7-10am but it's best to get there early to get a camera-friendly spot. be sure to bring signs!

this is intended to increase the visibility of the anti-war movement to get the message out to middle america via the mainstream media, who has been trying to ignore us. also it is intended as a booster for the rally on saturday.

this time around we'll be on their turf and too big to ignore.

lots of people are needed to make this action successful. please show up and help out.

Posted by Brian Stefans at 09:19 PM
The Baghdad Snapshot Action: announcement

Join us ...
-------------------------------------------------------
The Baghdad Snapshot Action will be carried out on
Thursday February 13. Teams of artists & activists will
paste thousands of copies of recent photographs from
Baghdad across Manhattan.
-------------------------------------------------------

To join meet us at 9pm:

548 W 21st Street

b/w 10th and 11th (near 11th)

south side of street, ring artists studio bell

what to bring -- warm clothes, wheat pasting supplies [wall paper powder, gallon bucket, water, brush, towel], staple gun, wide clear packing tape, friend(s)/postering partner. if you don't have friends or supplies we will supply you with either or both because we're like that. please let us know what you need.

we'll give you copies of the snapshots and one of the following: a cup of hot cider, a cup of cheap wine, a pepperidge farm goldfish cracker, a hearty welcome.

then we'll have a quick intro/explanation of the project plan and get into a distribution huddle whereby we assign the teams to the various neighborhoods of NYC. If you have specific requests re: neighborhoods you can let us know then. if you have any questions or concerns you can email us. we'll send you a reminder message on Thursday.

We've made 9,000 flyers-bring friends more people more coverage.

See you Thursday night.

emergency contact:
917.572.4909
newyork2baghdad@yahoo.com

The Super-Secret Creative-Subversive Anti-Propagandists

Posted by Brian Stefans at 09:49 AM
Poets for Peace: "feeder march" plans

Poets for Peace

Poets will be meeting at 11:00 am this Saturday, Feb. 15:
Outside Conran's food emporium plaza on East 59th Street and 1st Avenue, just under the 59th street bridge.
Look for the Guernica banner and the Poets For Peace banner.

We will begin walking towards the main rally (1st Avenue stretching north from 49th Street) at around 11:30 am.

We will be forming a "feeder march" to the main rally as recommended on the United for Peace website.

Info from the United for Peace website:

For information on feeder marches and the law, see "Know Your Rights: Demonstrating in New York City" by the New York Civil Liberties Union. In general, marching on the sidewalk without a permit is legal so long as you do not obstruct pedestrian traffic. Marching in the street without a permit would be an act of civil disobedience.

(note: This is the official plan. The Bryant park plan is no longer in place.)

View map

Posted by Brian Stefans at 09:33 AM
February 10, 2003
Poets Against the War: A Plea For Funds

Poets Against the War urgently needs funds to pay for ads in key U.S. newspapers on President's Day, February 17th, expressing our profound opposition to the Bush administration's drive toward war in Iraq. We believe that the world is poised on the knife-edge of a decision between war and peace, and it is conceivably the passionate, miraculous efforts of a growing throng of peace-loving poets that may be able to make part of the difference.

Since January 30, poets in many countries have joined an upsurge of conscience and compassion, submitting poems to the Poets Against the War web site, organizing hundreds of anti-war poetry readings around the world, joining with millions of others in vigils, processions, prayers and intercessions, lobbying and rallying for peace. At no time in history have so many poets spoken in such a large chorus.

Here is the text of the proposed newspaper ad:
 
Poets Against the War

In the face of so much opposition from U.N. members, despite the disapproval of the vast majority of citizens of the world, in defiance of the advice of its own intelligence agencies, and contrary to both common sense and fundamental notions of morality, the Bush administration seems to be headed for war in Iraq.

Over the past two weeks, over 5,000 poets have submitted poems or personal statements to register their opposition to this war. In doing so, they honor a long and rich tradition of thoughtful and moral opposition by poets and other artists to senseless and murderous policies, including those of our own government. At no time in history have so many poets spoken in such a large chorus.

We call upon the Bush administration to halt its headlong rush toward war, to heed the voices of the people of the world, and to seek peaceful means of resolving conflicts in company with the world community.

Posted by Brian Stefans at 10:49 AM
February 09, 2003
The Common Sky: Canadian Writers against the War

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

As the rhetoric of war in Iraq grows louder, there is an urgent need for reflective, responsive, and resistant voices in the Canadian public sphere. Published by Three Squares Press, and edited by Mark Higgins, Stephen Pender, and Darren Wershler-Henry, The Common Sky: Canadian Writers against the War will assemble a diversity of Canadian writers expressing their opposition to another (potential) war in the Middle East.

Writers are invited to submit poetry (1-3 pages, max. 3 submissions) and short fiction (max. 1500 words) occasioned by the threat of war in Iraq.

Electronic submissions strongly encouraged.

threesquares@sympatico.ca

OR

Three Squares Press
16 Ashdale Ave.
Toronto, ON
M4L 2Y7

*Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you need your submission returned.

Contributors will receive 2 copies of the anthology.

Proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to the Canadian Peace Alliance

www.acp-cpa.ca

Submission deadline: Tuesday February 11, 2003
Publication date: March, 2003

**PLEASE DISTRIBUTE WIDELY **

Posted by Brian Stefans at 02:24 AM