Vigils Planned

 

With the death toll of U.S. servicemen in the Iraq having reached 2000, peace groups and individual activists around the country have announced plans to host special vigils to mark the event.  The vigils are being organized in part by the American Friends Service Committee "Wage Peace Campaign"  (https://www.afsc.org/2000/default.php) and Move On (http://political.moveon.org/event/events/index.html?action_id=29). Please visit these links to find a vigil near you should you wish to participate.  Some local actions by VAWN affiliates are listed below.   

In Peace and Solidarity,

 

Garrie Rouse

Virginia Antiwar Network

 

BLACKSBURG

Place: Henderson Lawn (Virginia Tech Campus)

Date: 10/28/05 (Friday)

Time: 7:00PM

Contact: Margaret Breslau (homebody@home-body.net)

 

NORFOLK

Place: TBA

Address: TBA

Date: 10/26/05 (Wednesday)

Time: TBA

Contact: Tom Palumbo (Tom@regimechanger.com)

Additional Details: www.regimechanger.com

 

 

RICHMOND

Place: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Address: 2800 Grove Ave. (Corner of Grove and Boulevard)

Date: 10/26/05 (Wednesday)

Time: 6:30PM

Contact: Amy Kirchoff

Additional Details: http://www.moveon.org/event/events/event.html?event_id=5889

 

 

STAUNTON

Place: Augusta County Courthouse
Address: (see link for directions)

Date: 10/26/05 (Wednesday)

Time: 5:00 PM
Contact: Hunter Mabry (Augusta Coalition for Peace & Justice)
Additional Details: https://www.afsc.org/2000/event_details.php?ID=249

 

 

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THERE IS A CONNECTION

August 24, 2003

 

Greetings EVERYONE, from The Defenders for Freedom, Justice & Equality.

 

Last fall, the Defenders felt compelled to learn more about the reasons that the current administration was marching our country into war against Iraq. We educated ourselves about the geo-politics of the oil-rich Middle East and conferred with people living in our community who were knowledgeable about the politics of the region. We participated in anti-war rallies, marches and conferences in New York City, Washington, D.C., and right here in Richmond, prior to the wars beginning, and since. And as we learned, we became even more resolute in our objection to a pre-emptive strike. But more importantly, we also spent time analyzing the impact this war is having on Black communities right here. 

 

There is a war going on every day in the streets of our neighborhoods.  An obscene number of our brothers and sisters are "shocked and awed" by the battle with poverty every day: By the lack of affordable housing, lack of a living wage, lack of decent education, lack of health care. And, too often, they are pitted against a police force that functions as an army of occupation rather than a protector of the community. 

 

Our children are gunning each other down in anticipation of being gunned down themselves!  What is this, but the doctrine of pre-emptive strike? The strategies of the wars being waged in our streets are validated everyday by our self-righteous and war-mongering administration. The young boys and men, and now girls, who are shot down on our streets are casualties of war. Our neighborhoods are war zones. Our playgrounds are war zones. Our bodies are war zones. 

 

And so, as the general population rallies around the might of America, the Defenders have tried to focus on the plight of America. 

 

WE WANT OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS IN THE MILITARY TO COME HOME. However, we need to make sure that home is a place of peace and parity for them.  Far too many of our people join the military for reasons of financial stability or health care. That alone should be a wake-up call for America: Our VOLUNTEER army does not necessarily enlist for love of county, but because finding a job in this country is simply too hard for too many people.  

 

Our fight every day must be for freedom, justice and equality. 

 

THERE IS A CONNECTION between the price you pay for the gas to drive your car and the war in Iraq. 

 

THERE IS A CONNECTION between the lack of funds to repair the neighborhood swimming pool in Chimborazo Park and the billions being spent to occupy and terrorize the neighborhoods of Iraqi and Palestinian children.

 

THERE IS A CONNECTION between the erosion of civil liberties and the war in Iraq. 

 

THERE IS A CONNECTION between the closed doors of Guantanamo Bay and the closed doors of the Richmond City Jail.

 

We plan to continue to expose the lies used by this U.S. administration to justify this war, and why it is still going on. 

 

We plan to share information in our communities about the amount of money that is willingly and proudly spent on an unjust war and contrast that with the amount of money that is being taken away from human and social service funding.   

 

With the oppressed and terrorized PEOPLE of Iraq and Palestine and Liberia, we do not need a movement of sympathy! We need a movement of SOLIDARITY! 

 

WE FACE THE SAME ENEMY: That infinitesimally small number of people in this country with the money, the resources and the power to attempt to dominate the world.

 

Our children are little embedded recorders of the sadness and hopelessness they see on the streets of our communities. We have to fight to take them back. We have to fight to keep our nation focused on the challenges of people in poverty. 

 

KEEP UP THE STRUGGLE!