NYC Peace Grannies to Hold Memorial Tomorrow Feb. 23rd For 1,000 GI Deaths In Afghanistan

PEACE GRANNIES TO HOLD MEMORIAL FEB. 23 FOR 1,000 G.I. DEATHS IN AFGHANISTAN

DATE: Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010
TIME: 5:30 P.M.
PLACE: in front of Rockefeller Plaza, on the west side of 5th Ave. between 49 & 50 Sts. (across from Saks). Then at 6:30 PM, the group will walk down 5th Ave,, turn right on W. 44th St., walk to recruiting center at Broadway & 44th St

According to www.icasualties.com, the number of U.S. soldiers killed in Afghanistan has reached 1,000 as of today, Feb. 22.

Therefore, Grandmothers Against the War will go ahead with its commemorative vigil tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb. 23, at 5:30 p.m. at its regular weekly Rockefeller Center vigil site -- specifically, the west side of 5th Ave. between 49th and 50th Sts.

Other peace groups participating will be the Granny Peace Brigade, Veterans for Peace, the Raging Grannies, Peace Action NYS (PANIX), The World Can't Wait, Code Pink, Gray Panthers, West Side Peace Action, and others. A large turnout is anticipated.

In a candlelight ceremony, names of U.S. military and Afghan citizens who have died in war-related incidents will be read, to the somber beat of a drum. Invited political and celebrity speakers, including actor/author Malachy McCourt, actress Kathleen Chalfant, State Sen. Bill Perkins, civil liberties attorney, Norman Siegel, and others will make brief remarks. At 6:30 p.m., the vigil group will walk to the Times Square recruiting center for more comments, name readings and songs by the Raging Grannies.

We hope that this public occasion will send a strong message to the war-makers that it is time to bring the hostilities to an end and replace missiles with missions.... destruction with diplomacy. So, let's make every effort to be there. PLEASE BRING CANDLES OR FLASHLIGHTS

"It's the same sad story," said Barbara Walker, associate director of Grandmothers Against the War. "Our bombs increase anti-Americanism, cause death and untold damage to all, and achieve nothing positive. As in Iraq, our "surge" in Afghanistan has caused a dramatic increase of casualties to our American kids valiantly fighting there, for no apparent recognizable goal achieved. We must bring our troops home and rethink our foreign policy."