Sept. 20 - Million Doors for Peace Coalition Spreads Across the Nation

A coalition working to end the war in Iraq announced it is organizing the year’s largest anti-war mobilization. Million Doors for Peace, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 20, will ask one million Americans to sign petitions urging the next Congress to bring U.S. troops home from Iraq within one year.

The action combines the best of grassroots activism and support from the netroots. The campaign will allow tens of thousands of volunteers to download a neighborhood “walk list” for the coalition website. The volunteers will then use this public information talk to and identify neighbors who oppose the Iraq war and will join the efforts to end the war. Please join this effort, click here.

Organizers said Million Doors for Peace is unique in the history of anti-war movements because instead of bringing tens of thousands of people together for one visible protest, participants will be organizing on the ground across the U.S., with an eye toward one-on-one public education and influencing members of Congress.

“This will be the largest anti-war mobilization effort of 2008,” said Tom Swan of USAction and director of Iraq Campaign 2008. “But instead of coming together in one place, such as the National Mall, we are going to go talk to people where they live. When the next Congress is seated early next year, we want one million people to remind them that Americans strongly oppose this war and it’s time to responsibly end it.”

Leslie Cagan, National Coordinator of United for Peace and Justice, said, "The antiwar sentiment throughout the country has never been stronger. To help bring greater visibility to the depth of opposition to the war in Iraq, on Sept. 20th the Million Doors for Peace project will put thousands of people out on the streets in communities in all 50 states. This massive, national mobilization will send a clear message: it is time to bring all the troops home!"

Progressive Democrats of America National Director Tim Carpenter said, "PDA is pleased to participate in this coalition, which is employing an inside/outside strategy--raising awareness inside Congress by working outside the beltway energizing citizens to demand a swift and orderly end to U.S. military involvement in Iraq. Only then will we be able to address human needs at home--guaranteed health care for all, green energy, and jobs."

The coalition organizing Million Doors for Peace includes: Catholics United, Cities for Peace, MoveOn.org, Pax Christi USA, Peace Action, Progressive Accountability, Progressive Democrats of America, United for Peace & Justice, USAction & TrueMajority.org, Voters for Peace and Win Without War.
Combined, the coalition boasts a membership in the millions and several hundred state and local affiliates. The overarching goal of recruiting over one million war opponents is to broaden and expand the nation’s anti-war constituency so that when the next Congress will hear anti-war voices louder than ever.

“Million Doors for Peace takes the anti-war movement in a new direction,” Swan said. “Each year during the Iraq war, we have seen large anti-war demonstrations in Washington and around the country. This year the tactics and strategy are different. Instead of gathering in one place, we will be in every state in the country. We will meet people on their front door steps in order to expand the anti-war constituency in this country and remind our leaders of America’s anti-war sentiment. The cost of this war has been too great.”

“When Congress returns next year, members will have to answer to constituents determined to bring a responsible, certain end to this seemingly endless war,” Cagan concluded. “Too many people have died, and precious resources have been squandered while America’s needs at home have gone unmet.”