Washington Peace Center
EMERGENCY RESPONSES
Activist Alert 3/19 - ??/03
NEW EMERGENCY RESPONSE
LOCATION. At the start of the war, on the first day of attack
at 5:00 pm. (If
bombing starts overnight, gather the next day at 5:00
pm.). Gather at Dupont
Circle, Connecticut Ave.,
NW (at P St.) Our traditional gathering site, Lafayette
Park, will be closed off.
Rally with speakers and music, flyer attached to this Alert. Please
download and copy for distribution. Contact: Washington
Peace Center
at 202-234-2000. (See details below).
Reclaim the Capitol. From Wednesday, March 19 to
Monday, March 24 groups in DC and across the country will occupy local and
national Congressional offices to demand support, and send delegations pushing criticial proposed legislation, S. Res. 32 (Kennedy) and H.
J. Res. 20 (DiFazio), which repeals the earlier
decision authorizing the use of force and commitment of American troops for war
against Iraq. Civil disobedience actions began on Monday, March 17 with
the arrest of over 50 activists at the Capitol. Wednesday, March 19 is
designated as a women’s day of action to reclaim democracy by Code Pink.
Lobbying and direct action groups will meet every morning at St. Aloyisius Church, 900 N. Capitol
St., NW (Union Station Metro, Red line). Contact:
Ted Glick 202-234-9382, ext. 238 or ext. 257, or 973-460-1458, or indpol@igc.org,
or Jason Kafoury 202-387-8030 or 202-465-2764. (See
details below).
“Walk for Peace” The day the war starts, at 6:00 pm, gather at Little Patuxent
and Broken Land Parkways, (near the Columbia Mall) Columbia,
MD. The Howard County Coalition Against War, a recently-formed activist organization, is
planning a “Walk for Peace” in Columbia
to coincide with a likely U.S.
invasion of Iraq.
Organizers seek to provide an outlet for the strong sentiment against the war
held by a number of citizens and elected officials in our area. This is the
location where a silent peace vigil has been held on a weekly basis since
October 2001. Black armbands will be provided as an expression of mourning for
the lives that will be lost in the war, both civilian and military. Walkers are
also encouraged to bring candles or flashlights. The Howard County Coalition Against War is comprised of individuals and members of
various lay and religious organizations in Howard
County who are opposed to the war
against Iraq.
Walk Out! International ANSWER is calling for work
and school walk-outs on the first day of the war. Gather at 12:00 noon
to rally at the north side of the White House and march
at 5:00 pm. (See details below).
Response/Day After Nonviolent
CD Actions. Iraq Pledge of Resistance is organizing a
massive day-after CD actions against the war. See: www.por.org
or call 202-234-2000 #3 for details. These actions will take place anywhere
from 6 hours to 6 days after any U.S. military attack or beginning of a
military campaign, with most happening within 48 hours of such action.
President Bush spoke to the country at 8 pm
Monday night, to announce the beginning of war and to give Saddam a 48-hour
deadline to leave Iraq
before war starts. The U.S.
resolution on Iraq
has been officially withdrawn from the UN Security Council, which means that
all diplomacy, such as it was, is over. This also meets our third criteria for
full nationwide activation of the Iraq Pledge of Resistance.We
are therefore activating the Pledge of Resistance at this time, and urging all IPoR groups to carry out their planned nonviolent CD
actions as soon as possible. Also, please keep us informed of your plans, and
the results of your actions, just as constantly and immediately as you can.
Local contact: Gordon Clark, 301-589-2355. The Iraq Pledge of Resistance is a campaign of nationally
coordinated nonviolent civil disobedience to oppose war in Iraq,
sponsored by over a dozen major U.S.
peace groups Initiated in October of 2002, there are now local groups and
coalitions in over 50 cities actively organizing around the Iraq Pledge of
Resistance. more information is available at www.peacepledge.org/resist,
or by contacting Gordon Clark at 301-589-2355 or pledgecoordinator@starpower.net.
Day After Emergency Student
Walkout. Montgomery County High School Students are Organizing Against the War! The next school day after the start
of the war on Iraq,
a Montgomery County-wide student walkout will occur at 1:00 pm. Students should
stay on school grounds near the flagpole until school is over. Then we will
rally in front of the Rockville
courthouse officially starting at 3:00.
See the Montgomery County Students for Peace and Justice Website: http://www.mcspj.org/. Contact: Eugene
Gavrilov 240-605-1837 or egav16@yahoo.com.
(See details below)
Day After Emergency Race
Against War and March of Resistance. “When the war starts, the world stops”.
The day after the war starts, a Critical Mass will meet on bicycles at 7:30 am for the Race at Dupont
Circle and on foot at Eastern Market Metro at 7:00 am for the March. A call
to stop business as usual. Sponsored by Shirts Off
Coalition. Unpermitted direct action events.
Contact: Zoe Mitchell 202-253-2990, Brendan Hoffman
202-285-1391, or Virginia Rodino 410-704-4139 or see visibleresistance@mutualaid.org.
Repeal Bush’s Use of Force in Iraq
Resolution. Give Congress 48-hour notice. Ask Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton,
who has sponsored this critical bill (HJR 20), to speak out and join local
delegations to other Congressional offices. If you live in DC, which is
administered by Congress, you can visit any representative’s office. The
resolutions also call on the President to fully support the inspectors with the
assistance they need for their ongoing disarmament work. National
lobbying effort continues this week. Call your Representatives and ask them to
support HJR 20 and SR 32. Toll free lines for Senate and the House:
1-800-648-3516 and 1-800-839-5276. Locally call 202-224-3121. For more
information see National Peace Lobby Project at www.dawndc.net.
Mark your calendar! Saturday - Monday, March
22-24 Veterans Aganst Iraq War are calling for Operation
Dire Distress in DC. Teach-In and Speak-Out Saturday 1:00 - 5:00 pm, American University. Demonstration Sunday 12:00 pm, Constitution Gardens, near
Vietnam Memorial, porcession to VA, White House and
Ellipse, Lobbying Congress Monday, FCNL office, 245 2nd Ave., NE.
See: www.vaiw.org.
Sponsored by Veterans for Peace, www.veteransforpeace.org, 314-725-6005,
Vietnam Veterans Against the War, www.vvaw.org,
773-327-5756, Veterans for Common Sense, www.veteransforcommonsense.org,
703-668-0353 and Military Families Speak Out, www.mfso.org, 617-522-9323. Thursday,
March 27, Students Not Soldiers campaign will hold a city-wide organizing
meeting at AFSC-DC, 2211 14th St., NW at 7:00 pm. Contact
Trent Moyer 202-299-1050 or John Judge 202-234-2000.
Maryland Anti-War Coalition. We are forming a large coalition
of MD groups and citizens working against this war to organize a state-wide
march on Annapolis. So far the
groups involved are: •Now or Never •College Park Peace Forum •Anne Arundel
Peace Action •Howard County Coalition Against War
•Howard County Friends of Latin America •Towson Anti-War
Coalition •Montgomery County Students for Peace and Justice •Northwestern
High School •Students Against Violence
and Exploitation (UMBC). We feel that taking Annapolis
for a day will give this movement the momentum it needs to prevent a horrible
and tragic war. People who would normally not attend a national demonstration
will attend a local one, especially when it involves their lives personally. WE
NEED TO LOCALIZE THE GLOBAL STRUGGLE FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE. We must urge this
state to pass an anti-war resolution, House Joint Resolution 18. NO WAR. Time
is of the essence. Contact: Ryan - NoN/Towson Anti-War Coalition 410-733-6867 or dare@ziplip.com
or Setareh - College Park
Peace Forum 301-221-6677 or redsatellite@s-mail.com.
Northern Virginians for Peace. A new umbrella network
of peace advocates and a clearinghouse for information about peace groups and
projects in Northern Virginia. Current members are from Arlington,
Alexandria, Burke, Falls
Church, McLean, Reston,
Lorton, and other towns and are working on such projects as petitions,
leafleting, vigils, teach-ins, cities-for-peace resolutions, outreach, and
more. We can help you find like-minded neighbors with whom to coordinate your efforts.
See: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/us-va-nova-peace/.
Volunteers Needed. Now, more than
ever. Multi-skilled volunteers are needed to work to stop this war,
organize emergency responses, create and distribute the Washington Peace
Letter, organize educational programs and events, do community outreach,
provide technical assistance for computer-related tasks, update media and
organizational guides, table at community events, public relations work, and
moving to our new location in April. Want to help out? Call 202-234-2000 or write
us at wpc@igc.org.
____________ 1. EMERGENCY RESPONSE Rally Day
the war starts 2. Montgomery County Student Walk Out
Day war starts 3. UMD STUDENT WALKOUT Day war starts 4.
Commemorative Rally for Rachel Corrie
Tuesday, March 18 5. The Maryland
Action Collective Wednesday, March 18 6. Shirts Off Our Back, Emergency Response Planning Wednesday, March 18 7. RECLAIM THE CAPITOL – STOP THE WAR
NOW Wednesday, March 19 - Monday, March 24 8. DEMAND PEACE -
Lobbying Congress Wednesday, March 19 9. UNITED EMERGENCY ACTION
PLAN Wednesday, March 19 10. DEMAND PEACE - Prayer Service Wednesday,
March 19 11. NO WAR! IMMEDIATE STUDENT ACTION Wednesday, March 19 12. Code Pink Procession Wednesday,
March 19 ____________ 1. EMERGENCY RESPONSE Rally Day the war
starts 5:00 pm Dupont
Circle, Connecticut St.,
NW (Dupont Circle
Metro, Red line) The Washington Peace Center will host its traditional
rally at the start of war or bombing at 5:00 pm
at Dupont Circle. (Lafayette
Park and surrounding parks are not
available). Speakers include: Damu Smith, Black
Voices for Peace, Erik Gustafson, EPIC, Rev. Greyland
Hagler, Plymouth
Cong. Church,
Gordon Clark, Iraq Pledge of Resistance, Mike Zmolnek,
National Network Against the War in Iraq,
Lane Browning, Women in Black. And speakers from DC Labor Against the War, DC
Asians for Peace and Justice, Institute for Policy Studies, American Anti-Arab
Discrimination Committee, Win Without War, Campus Action Network, DC Anti-War
Network, Organized COUP. Performers incluce DC Poets Against the War, Rhythmworkers,
Sol Y Soul and more. Candlelight vigil. Please join
us. Contact: Sherry Brown or John Judge (202) 234-2000 or wpc@igc.org.
(See attached flyer).
2. Montgomery
County Student Walk Out Day war starts 1:00 pm (Gather at
flagpole outside school) 4:00 pm (Meet other students at Dupont Circle,
DC) If war is declared, high school students from the schools in Montgomery
County’s SPJ (MCSPJ) will protest by walking out of class. Students and staff
from nearly every public school and several private schools in Montgomery
County plan to participate despite
the possible risk of detention, suspension, or dismissal. Among the participants
in Springbook’s walkout will be Montgomery County
Student Member of the Board of Education, Mihyar Alfinady. Springbrook HS and
Montgomery Blair HS are expecting the largest crowds. Sponsored
by: MCSPJ members (Montgomery County Students for Peace and Justice), a
coalition of Montgomery County student activist groups, and aware students. Participating
staff and students will gather by their schools’ flagpoles or other designated
location at. All participants will then proceed to Dupont
Circle, where they will meet with other regional
chapters of SPJ. See: www.mcspj.org. Contact: Chuck DeVoe:
240-305-4033 or Minna Hsu: 301-325-6453.
3. UMD STUDENT
WALKOUT Day war starts 4:00 pm
McKeldin Mall, University
of Maryland, College
Park University
of Maryland students will gather
at the sundial on the day war on Iraq
is declared. That evening, students will be leaving from the sundial at 4:00 PM to gather at Dupont
Circle in DC at 5:00.
The following day, students will walkout at noon
to meet at the sundial to attend a “funeral for democracy”.
4. Commemorative
Rally for Rachel Corrie Tuesday, March 18 5:30
pm Israeli Embassy, International Drive and Van Ness St., NW (Van
Ness/UDC Metro, Red line) Craig and Cindy Corrie,
along with their son, Chris Corrie will attend a
candlelight vigil in memory of their daughter Rachel, who was killed on Sunday
in the Gaza Strip, when she was run over by an Israeli bulldozer. Rachel was
protesting the Israeli policy of demolishing Palestinian homes and was standing
in front of a home in Rafah, located in the Gaza
Strip, urging the bulldozer driver to stop, when he ran her over. The vigil is
being organized by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC).
Please join us to commemorate the life and protest the tragic death of this
courageous American peace activist, Rachel Corrie.
Her friends and family will not let her death go in vain and will continue to
fight the inhumane Israeli policy of destroying Palestinian homes, and for the
freedom and justice that Rachel gave her life for. Contact: ADC (202) 244-2990.
5. The Maryland
Action Collective Wednesday, March 18 7:00
pm St. Stevens Church, 16th
and Newton Sts.,
NW (Columbia Heights
Metro, Green line) Spokespersons council. Any individuals, groups,
collectives, affinity groups or organizations interested in direct action
from banner drops on up are encouraged to send reps. As Bush escalates his war,
its time we escalate our response. His 48 hour ultimatum
is up Wednesday night so this meeting will be critical in coordinating
our actions beyond the day after and into the coming week. We will also
provide direct action and legal trainings. DC Iraq Pledge of Resistance will
also take part.
6. Shirts Off Our
Back, Emergency Response Planning Wednesday, March 18 6:30 pm
AFSC-DC, 2211 14th St., NW
(U St./Cardozo Metro, Green
line) Planning meeting for day after actions. Contact: 299-9100.
7. RECLAIM THE CAPITOL – STOP
THE WAR NOW Wednesday, March 19 - Monday, March 24 8:00 am (gather to
plan actions) St. Aloysius Church, 900 N Capitol St. NW, (Union Station Metro,
Red line) The Congress of the United States is the only branch of government
that has the constitutional authority to authorize war. Last October,
they gave that authority away to an Administration that is clearly willing
to defy the will of the American people and the world. Despite months of calls,
letter, emails, faxes and demonstrations, the Congress remains silent. There
is legislation that calls for more information, more time for inspections
and a repeal of the authorization. Yet none of it is moving. AND, despite
the fact that our government is on the brink of slaughtering hundreds of thousands
of people, Congress is even taking recesses. Every day this week we will go
to the Capitol and other related sites across the country to take back our
democracy and use our constitutional right to petition our government and
Congressional leaders to act immediately. We Demand that Congress REPRESENT
the will of the People, REPEAL the authorization for war and RE-ALLOCATE money
to human needs. We will engage in acts of nonviolent civil disobedience, witness
and lobbying. Some groups may want to go to their legislator’s offices,
some may want to visit congressional leaders offices, some may want to go
to the Rotunda, some may want to simply walk up stairs on the West side of
the Capitol. On Tuesday, Wed, Thurs and Friday, we will continue to keep the
pressure on Congress each morning with acts of nonviolent civil disobedience,
witness and lobbying. 9-11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows is organizing a
group of people to engage in NVDA on Tuesday. Leading individuals in the labor
movement (especially USLAW), the women’s movement (especially Code Pink) and
the religious community (Pax Christi and the Methodists)
are also planning events. We are also doing outreach to other people in other
constituencies and organizations: environmental groups, Black Voices for Peace/African
American community, Green Party, LGBT, academics, veterans, businesspeople,
dissident Democrats, elected officials, farm/rural, National Rainbow Coalition,
health care activists, NION, Campus Antiwar Network and celebrities. Will
your organization or constituency join us this week? Contact: Ted Glick 202-234-9382,
ext. 238 or ext. 257, or 973-460-1458, or indpol@igc.org,
or Jason Kafoury 202-387-8030 or 202-465-2764.
8. DEMAND PEACE - Lobbying Congress Wednesday,
March 19 8:00 am St. Aloysius Church, 900 N. Capitol St. NW
(Union Station Metro, Red line) President Bush has made clear his
determination to order the U.S. military to launch a massive and brutal attack
on the people, the infrastructure, and the environment of Iraq. His “deadline”
for Saddam Hussein comes on Wednesday at 8 pm
Eastern time. Make your voice heard in Washington,
DC. Code Pink - Women for Peace will give
Congress one last chance to exercise their responsibility. Assemble to
prepare for extreme lobbying. Details: 202/393-5016.
9. UNITED EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN Wednesday,
March 19 12:00 noon
North side of White House, 1600 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW Walkout! No Business as Usual! No War
on Iraq! George
W. Bush has promised to unleash an all-out war against Iraq,
possibly as soon as Wednesday, March 19. We join with peace-loving people all
over the world in challenging this 48 hour war ultimatum. At this critical
moment, we urge all people of conscience to oppose this illegal war of
aggression by participating. Stay at White House all day until a march at 5 p.m. If war has begun, there will also be a
March 22 regional demo at the White House in Washington
DC at 12
noon. Contact: A.N.S.W.E.R. 202-544-3389. See: www.InternationalANSWER.org.
10. DEMAND PEACE - Prayer Service Wednesday,
March 19 12:00 Noon
White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Converge on Pennsylvania Ave/Lafayette Park in front of the White House at noon for a prayer service followed by a civil
disobedience action. Sponsored by a Coalition of Religious
Groups. Sponsors include: United for Peace and Justice, joined by the
National Youth and Student Peace Coalition, Iraq Pledge of Resistance,
September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, Black Voices for
Peace, Veterans for Peace.
11. NO WAR! IMMEDIATE STUDENT ACTION Wednesday,
March 19 3:45 pm 16th
and I Sts., NW Gather and march to the White House, with optional nonviolent civil
disobedience. We’re having a student action tomorrow and we need EVERYONE to be
there. Several of us will engage in civil disobedience and we encourage you all
to get arrested with us, but it is not necessary. Please come tomorrow
after school. Download fliers from www.mcspj.org, print out the flyers and
massively distribute them at your schools. This is a solely student action and
we need to represent and match the numbers to oppose this war. Sponsored by: Students for Peace and Justice, National Youth and
Student Peace Coalition, Youth Leadership Support Network and Students Not
Soldiers. Contact: Cherine Foty
at cfoty@hotmail.com.
12. Code Pink Procession Wednesday, March 19
5:00 pm Dupont
Circle, Connecticut Ave., NW
(Dupont Circle
Metro, Red line) Code Pink Procession to Donald Rumsfeld
house, Contact: 202-331-4419. Together we will tell President Bush that he does
NOT have the support of the people of the U.S. for the actions he is about to
take; tell the people of Iraq that the people of the U.S. do not condone the
actions taken in our name; tell the world that we reject the President’s
unilateralist contempt for international opinion and his determination to use
massive, lethal force to impose his will on an unwilling world; call out to the
people of the United States—the majority that rejects unilateral military
action and all the others—to recognize and assert that the attack being
undertaken in our name is immoral and unwise; inspire people across the country
to make clear that we will hold the President, his advisers, and the Congress
that has failed in its responsibility to check the excesses of the White House
accountable for their actions. Dee: www.unitedforpeace.org
for a listing of coordinated actions for the rest of the week. Contact:
202-331-4419 for more information. ____________ Ongoing The Suburban Peace Action Alert will be merged
with the WPC Activist’s Alert starting this week, covering events in the surrounding
Maryland and Virginia
suburbs and towns. Ongoing weekly and monthly events are listed and updated now
on our website at www.washingtonpeacecenter.org. If you wish
to be added or removed from this list, or wish to submit an event (by the prior
Thursday), please contact us at wpc@igc.org. -- Washington
Peace Center
1801 Columbia Road NW, Suite 104 Washington,
DC 20009
(202) 234-2000; (202) 234-7064 (fax) www.washingtonpeacecenter.org