Santa Cruz County to Hold Vigil at Military Recruiting Center in Honor of Father's Day 2009

The Peace Community of Santa Cruz County invites you to:
A Vigil in Honor of Father's Day 2009
On Friday June 19th, From 3-6PM
In front of the Military Recruiting Center*
2121 41st Avenue, in Capitola, CA 95010

The wars go on,
in Iraq AND in Afghanistan.

In Afghanistan, the troop levels continue to mount, and yet MANY EXPERTS who have served within the system are saying that there is NO military solution possible in Afghanistan.

Retired Army Colonel Ann Wright, who then became a career United States Diplomat and was assigned to set up the American Embassy in Afghanistan during October of 2001, has said:

"President Obama is making a huge mistake. There is no military solution available in Afghanistan. Only diplomacy, negotiation, and rebuilding the government and the infrastructure can bring resolution in Afghanistan."

Yet, American soldiers continue to die and be grievously wounded,
And the people of Afghanistan suffer the same.
Not just combatants, but babies, children, fathers and mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers, brothers, sisters, cousins, friends......

And the same continues in Iraq as well.

Around the world, in every culture, in every country, within every spiritual tradition, those left behind, or to care for the permanently wounded, grieve deeply, intensely, a gnawing hole that takes so, so long to heal, and to forgive...

Our Fathers, our Grandfathers, our Sons, our Brothers, our boys, our men feel this loss, this rending apart of the family, as terribly as any Mother or Grandmother, Daughter or Sister, woman or girl.

Let us come together, then, in honor of this Father's Day 2009,
to say to our men, our boys,
that we respect and cherish their emotions, their sensitivity,
their deep commitment and caring for the well being of the children
and the grandchildren, for families and friends, and the very Earth itself,
and that we stand with them in working toward
a more Peaceful and Loving World.

This is a tie that binds us, that creates common ground around the Planet, throughout the Global Village, culture to culture, country to country, religion to religion. Let us see it clearly and nurture its growth.

Please join the Peace Community of Santa Cruz County for:
A Vigil in Honor of Father's Day 2009
On Friday, June 19th
>From 3-6PM
In front of the Military Recruiting Center*
2121 41st Avenue, in Capitola

Signs or banners that draw attention to the current situation in Afghanistan would be especially appreciated - we will have extras available!

Colorful group flags or banners also speak strongly of the commitment and involvement of the larger community!

Please invite, friends, family, coworkers, partners,
and pass this info along to groups that you are part of.

If your group or congregation would like to be listed as a cosponsor, please send an email to this address:

meadowwolf@baymoon.com

*the Recruiting Center is located next to Burger King, just before the corner of Clares Street and 41st Avenue - there is lots of parking in the lot at the back of the building, or on the street behind. Please car pool! County Buses also go to Capitola Mall and it is an easy two block walk from there!

Peace Now, and Forever!

This Vigil is cosponsored by (a growing list): People United for Peace of SC County, the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom of Santa Cruz and Pajaro Valley, CodePink Santa Cruz, Western Workers Labor Heritage Festival, the Santa Cruz Peace Chorale, the Resource Center for Nonviolence, the Buddhist Peace Fellowship of SC, Santa Cruz Friends Meeting (Quakers), the Truth in Recruiting Network, the Peace and Freedom Party of SC County, Families Against War, the Santa Cruz Peace Coalition, the United Nations Association of SC