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In response to President Obama's pending announcement of a major troop escalation in Afghanistan, Peace Activist, Cindy Sheehan, and other major anti-war groups and activists are announcing the formation of a new Peace Coalition that will seek to actively obstruct "business as usual" in Washington, DC, until Congress and the administration announce troop withdrawals from Iraq/Af-Pak.
"We've marched, we've signed letters and petitions, helped get candidates elected and called Congress and the White House, until we're literally blue in the face, and peace is even more elusive now then it was when Bush was president. I believe so strongly in peace and justice for all that I am, once again, uprooting my life, this time to move to our nation's capital until true change occurs. I am calling on people who love humanity and peace to join me in Peace of the Action, " Sheehan said from her California home.
The Coalition's demands are simple:
Troops, drone bombers, and mercenary contractors out of Iraq/Af-Pak and close permanent bases and give the people of Iraq-Afghanistan-Pakistan any reparations/help rebuilding their nations that they need.
To exercise and vigorously defend our First Amendment Right to "peaceably protest" here in the U.S., Peace of the Action will do targeted acts of non-violent civil resistance in Washington, DC on a daily basis until the government relents to the wishes of a majority of Americans who do want to see an end to the wars that were began under the Bush era, end under Obama's administration.
A very integral component for thousands of people to join Peace of the Action will be a camp erected on the lawn of the National Monument called: Camp OUT NOW that will provide community and basic human services to people that have lost their homes and jobs during the worst economic downturn in decades.
QUOTES FROM MEMBERS OF THE COALITION: Cindy Sheehan or any of the activists below are available for interviews/further comments or info and their phone numbers are provided.
David Swanson from www.AfterDowningStreet.org "I'd rather end a war by making phone calls to the White House. The only draw back is that it doesn't actually end any wars. We can nonviolently compel the House of Representatives to cut off the funding. Until it does, we can prevent it from doing anything else. It's about time we treated this as a question of life or death."
Pete Perry: Peace/Justice advocate and DC Native: "It has become increasingly clear that the government is no longer answerable to the people. All polls show widespread opposition to the war in Afghanistan, and yet Obama escalates it. Most Democrats in Congress claim to be opposed to the Afghan and Iraq wars, but continue to fund them with hundreds of billions of our tax dollars. Peace of the Action will be a historic opportunity to represent ourselves and begin to reclaim much of the power placed in politicians bought by private corporations and the military-industrial complex."
Kevin Zeese: National Director www.VotersforPeace.org "With record military budgets, record war supplemental budgets, and escalation of war in Afghanistan and Pakistan, it is time for the majority of Americans who oppose these wars to help stop them. Peace of the Action will be an historic escalation of anti-war activity that will create a situation where elected officials can no longer ignore the urgent need to end these wars. Americans do not want their tax dollars spent on weapons and war: they want to build a new economy that will benefit us all. Peace of the Action will demand real change in Washington."
"We've marched, we've signed letters and petitions, helped get candidates elected and called Congress and the White House, until we're literally blue in the face, and peace is even more elusive now then it was when Bush was president. I believe so strongly in peace and justice for all that I am, once again, uprooting my life, this time to move to our nation's capital until true change occurs. I am calling on people who love humanity and peace to join me in Peace of the Action, " Sheehan said from her California home.
The Coalition's demands are simple:
Troops, drone bombers, and mercenary contractors out of Iraq/Af-Pak and close permanent bases and give the people of Iraq-Afghanistan-Pakistan any reparations/help rebuilding their nations that they need.
To exercise and vigorously defend our First Amendment Right to "peaceably protest" here in the U.S., Peace of the Action will do targeted acts of non-violent civil resistance in Washington, DC on a daily basis until the government relents to the wishes of a majority of Americans who do want to see an end to the wars that were began under the Bush era, end under Obama's administration.
A very integral component for thousands of people to join Peace of the Action will be a camp erected on the lawn of the National Monument called: Camp OUT NOW that will provide community and basic human services to people that have lost their homes and jobs during the worst economic downturn in decades.
QUOTES FROM MEMBERS OF THE COALITION: Cindy Sheehan or any of the activists below are available for interviews/further comments or info and their phone numbers are provided.
David Swanson from www.AfterDowningStreet.org "I'd rather end a war by making phone calls to the White House. The only draw back is that it doesn't actually end any wars. We can nonviolently compel the House of Representatives to cut off the funding. Until it does, we can prevent it from doing anything else. It's about time we treated this as a question of life or death."
Pete Perry: Peace/Justice advocate and DC Native: "It has become increasingly clear that the government is no longer answerable to the people. All polls show widespread opposition to the war in Afghanistan, and yet Obama escalates it. Most Democrats in Congress claim to be opposed to the Afghan and Iraq wars, but continue to fund them with hundreds of billions of our tax dollars. Peace of the Action will be a historic opportunity to represent ourselves and begin to reclaim much of the power placed in politicians bought by private corporations and the military-industrial complex."
Kevin Zeese: National Director www.VotersforPeace.org "With record military budgets, record war supplemental budgets, and escalation of war in Afghanistan and Pakistan, it is time for the majority of Americans who oppose these wars to help stop them. Peace of the Action will be an historic escalation of anti-war activity that will create a situation where elected officials can no longer ignore the urgent need to end these wars. Americans do not want their tax dollars spent on weapons and war: they want to build a new economy that will benefit us all. Peace of the Action will demand real change in Washington."