Activism 101 part two

The text version of the News Release:

News Alert

For Release: Friday, December 21, 2007

Protest and Vigil: Send an Anti-War Message
for the Holidays: Out of Iraq • End the War
Bring the Troops Home Now!
Friday, December 21, 2007 • 6:30–7:30 PM
Library Plaza, Hennepin & Lagoon Aves. in Minneapolis

Minneapolis event is part of national day of peace actions

Minnesota anti-war activists plan
Friday rally to mark “season of peace”

A Minneapolis antiwar vigil and rally to be held this Friday, December 21, will be one of 90 events planned across the country. The nationally coordinated day of local antiwar actions expresses opposition to the continued U.S. war and occupation of Iraq.

The Friday afternoon event in Minneapolis will begin at 6:30 pm on the Library Plaza at Hennepin and Lagoon Avenues in the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis. The event is being organized under the call of: “Send an Anti-War Message for the Holidays – Out of Iraq – End the War – Bring the Troops Home Now.”

The event will include signs, banners and candles. Anti-war holiday carol singers, organized by the Counter Propaganda Coalition, will perform. Organizers expect to be a visible presence at one of the busiest intersections in Minneapolis at the beginning of the holiday weekend.

A statement issued by organizers says in part, “During the holiday season, these celebrations of peace are overshadowed by the continuing U.S. war in Iraq. On December 21, people across the country will gather in a variety of ways to call for an end to the war and to bring the troops home.”

The statement goes on to say, “The U.S. is an occupying power in Iraq. The Iraqi people want U.S. troops to leave and the majority of people in the U.S. want the troops brought home. While the Bush Administration says there is ‘progress in Iraq,’ the reality is that there will not be peace in Iraq as long as the occupation continues.”

A series of focus groups conducted for the U.S. military in Iraq last month found that “Iraqis of all sectarian and ethnic groups believe that the U.S. military invasion is the primary root of the violent differences among them, and see the departure of ‘occupying forces’ as the key to national reconciliation...” as reported in the Washington Post on December 19.

The December 21 event in Minneapolis is initiated by Iraq Peace Action Coalition and endorsed by Anti-War Committee, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Military Families Speak Out, Students for a Democratic Society, Twin Cities Peace Campaign–Focus on Iraq, Veterans for Peace, Women Against Military Madness and others.

The Iraq Moratorium Campaign, which was launched in September 2007, seeks to mark the third Friday of every month with antiwar activities. The Minneapolis event is one of 90 listed on the Iraq Moratorium website (www.iraqmoratorium.org) to be held this Friday. The Iraq Moratorium asks individuals to act alone or in groups on Moratorium Day to show their support for withdrawal of U.S. troops and to call for an end to the war in Iraq.