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MidEast:
JustPeace will
turn four years old in March. MEJP is an educational/activist
group opposed to Israeli occupation of Palestinian land,
the war on Iraq and the U.S. government's political,
military and financial support of these policies. Since
2002, MEJP has hosted monthly films and forums on Palestine,
Iraq and U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and has
also helped organize anti-war and anti-occupation demonstrations
in the Traverse City area. |
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THE WORLD CAN'T WAIT/END THE WAR NOW
DEMONSTRATION IN TRAVERSE CITY: A Report
Video Clip at: Venting Media
On March 18, 2006,
Traverse City once again saw a mass of men, women, students and
children protesting the invasion and three year war
on Iraq.
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250
people, and about 10 progressive dogs, gathered
at a local church to hear short speeches on the
illegitimacy of the war, the growing movement
of “no money for war” tax resisters,
a call for developing a strategic plan to bring
the Michigan National Guard home from Iraq, a
tribute to Rachel Corrie who was killed three
years ago by the Israeli Defense Force as she
fought for justice in the Palestine and a memorial
to Tom Fox on his dedication to peace with justice
as a Christian Peace Team worker in Iraq. 200
THE WORLD CAN'T WAIT/END THE WAR NOW bumper stickers
were distributed. |
Then,
carrying banners and signs, beating drums and
shouting anti-war messages, the group marched
to the American Legion park where several members
of the Veterans for Peace read out loud the names
of the seventy eight Michigan soldiers killed
in Iraq. This was followed by comments by a local
Iraqi woman about the humanitarian disaster brought
upon Iraq by the US and a moment of silence for
the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi victims. From
there the activists went to the post office to
hear a speech detailing the bankrupt and illegal
polices of the Bush administration.
The speaker stood on the steps of the post office.
A postal supervisor told him he could not stand
there. The first warning was ignored. The second
warning was met with a dozen other demonstrators
joining him on the steps. The next stop was outside
US House Representative David Camp’s office,
where a speaker bemoaned the disconnect between
US popular opposition to the war on Iraq and
our representatives', both Republican and Democrat,
blind ear to our concerns. |
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Finally,
the 250 demonstrators lined a half mile of Grandview
Parkway with the community's trademark Black
Ribbons honoring all the men, women and children
who have lost their lives during this war. We
were greeted with many cars honking their horns
in support. The group then returned to the church
to share soup, bread, comments and ideas. 57
new people signed up the the JustPeace listserve.
Demonstrations are being held throughout Michigan,
the US and the world this weekend. |
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We
understand that demonstrations do not prevent
or stop wars. Demonstrations bring us together,
rejuvenate us, and show the public face of the
opposition. This all is good. But the war makers
need to pay the price of their actions before
they succumb. 2300 U.S. soldiers is a price.
A drop in military enlistment and re-enlistment
is a price. Soldiers refusing to return to service
would be a price. Michigan citizens demanding
and accomplishing the bringing our National Guard
home would be a price. Michigan citizens not
paying war taxes would be a price. Electing representatives
who support impeachment proceedings would be
a price. Electing representatives who openly
call for the immediate, unconditional and total
withdrawal of US troops would be a price. Inflicting
those costs on the US government requires us
to pay a price. A price of time, energy, money
and commitment.
Join with us to carry on the
work of building an effective, on-going movement
that will bring this war and all wars to an
end. To a better world!" A date for a follow-up
Anti-War meeting will be set and announced. All
newcomers and the "usual suspects" are
invited to attend and get involved in getting
about the business of getting the US out of the
war business. |
photography by gary l howe
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