EFA is located at: 323 West 39 Street, NYC

This week, two protest demonstrations will focus on John Yoo and his former Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) superior, Jay Bybee, when both men make Bay Area public appearances. The demonstrations are sponsored by The World Can’t Wait and other anti-torture organizations, lawyers, and activists.

** Tuesday, March 9, steps of UC Berkeley Law (Boalt Hall), Berkeley

PRESS CONFERENCE 12:30 PM [followed by protest action]

John Yoo will speak, moderating a Federalist Society lunch program at Boalt,“The Ninth Amendment and Unenumerated Rights” from 12:40-1:40 PM.

** Wednesday, March 10, James R. Browning Courthouse, 95-7th St., San Francisco

PRESS CONFERENCE 1:00 PM [Rally/protest action 12:30-1:30 PM]

By David Swanson

The tea and coffee parties have cornered the market on vacuous meanness and niceness, respectively.  But brownbagging is where the substance and sustenance are.  Every third Wednesday of the month, those who want war defunded and everything useful funded are bringing brown bag lunches to vigil at their congress member's local office.  This month that means March 17th, St. Patrick's Day.  And that means more than food: Kicking off the Green Beer Party.

MEDIA ALERT: Antiwar Protest in Daytona Beach to mark 7 Years in Iraq

“7 Years In Iraq - No WMD’s, No Links To Al Qaeda, No Reason To Be There!”

When: Thursday, March 18th, 2010 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm - TV and Print Media will be there reporting. (Go to iCasualties for more information about U.S. soldiers KIA in Afghanistan and Iraq)

Where: Daytona Beach at the Northwest Corner of Nova Road and International Speedway Blvd, in front of the Steak N Shake restaurant. (1000 W. International Speedway Blvd, Daytona Beach, FL 32114)

What: Demonstration marking 7 years since the U.S. invaded and has since militarily occupied Iraq and to tell our servant government in Washington, DC "Enough Already, Bring Our Troops Home Now!"

Madison: Veterans & Military Affairs Committee holds Hearing on "Safeguard the Guard Act"

Tuesday March 9, 2010, 1pm

State Capitol Room 412E Madison, WI

The "Safeguard the Guard Act", Assembly Bill 203, would establish the governor's authority to, "examine every federal order that places the Wisconsin national guard on federal active duty to determine if that order is lawful and valid," and furthermore, "to take appropriate action . . . to prevent the Wisconsin national guard from being placed
on federal active duty," should the federalization order be deemed unlawful or invalid.

Representative Spencer Black (Madison) authored and introduced AB 203 in this 2009-2010 legislative session. Black asserts that, “this legislation sets up an orderly procedure to review future federalization orders for the Wisconsin National Guard.”

Organic Activists Will Dump Sewage Sludge and Hold a Press Conference on the Steps of San Francisco City Hall March 4 at Noon

Bay Area Gardeners Will Give Back Toxic Sewage Sludge that City Distributed
Using the Ruse of “Organic Compost”

SAN FRANCISCO, February 23, 2010 -- Community gardeners who were misled into
accepting toxic sewage sludge from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) are giving the sludge back to the Mayor¹s office at 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place on March 4th at 12 Noon.

Twice a year since 2007, the SFPUC has hosted “Compost Giveaway Events” in locations throughout the city. Although the city has marketed the material as “organic compost” or “organic fertilizer,” it turns out that it is really toxic sludge generated by San Francisco and seven other counties’ industrial, hospital, commercial and residential sewage. Residents who had lined up at the giveaways were outraged to learn of SFPUC¹s bait-and-switch.

GORDON BROWN AT IRAQ INQUIRY THIS FRIDAY

Gordon Brown has as much blood on his hands as Tony Blair for the illegal war in Iraq. As chancellor of the exchequer from 2003 to 2009, he was paymaster for the war, the cost of which was approximately £6.5bn -- roughly £1bn each year -- which equates to about £100 spent for every man, woman and child in Britain.

On Friday 5 March Brown will be giving evidence to the Chilcot Inquiry and Stop the War will be there to protest against both his culpability for the Iraq disaster and for his escalation of the war in Afghanistan.

Some analysts say the Afghan war has already cost twice as much as spending on Iraq and the bill of £12bn works out at £190 for every man, woman and child, which would pay for 23 new hospitals, 60,000 new teachers or 77,000 new nurses.

Join Stop the War's protest when Brown appears at the Iraq Inquiry on Friday. We want to ensure that he cannot present himself as an innocent bystander when Blair took Britain into a war that slaughtered hundreds of thousands of Iraqis.

PROTEST AT THE IRAQ INQUIRY FRIDAY 5 MARCH BLOOD ON GORDON BROWN'S HANDS 8.30 AM - 10.30 AM, QUEEN ELIZABETH CONFERENCE CENTRE BROAD SANCTUARY, WESTMINSTER SW1 - (Nearest tubes St James's Park or Westminster).

Vigil for Peace and Iraq Moratorium in Tampa during the Seventh Anniversary of the Invasion of Iraq at the Largest Airshow in the Country at MacDill USAFB

Everyone is welcome to participate in this peaceful VIGIL FOR PEACE / Iraq Moratorium in SUNNY FLORIDA (alternative to the March in DC) from 2 PM - 6PM March 20th and 21st, 2010.

This event is sponsored by members of Veterans for Peace, Inc. and many other Peace Groups who participate in the Vigil For Peace on the third weekend of every month in conjunction with the Iraq Moratorium.

This weekend marks the Seventh Anniversary of Shock and Awe - the US Military Invasion of Iraq. On this historic date is one of the largest airshows in the country at MacDill USAFB. There is and estimated 750,000 people lining the flightline this weekend weather permitting to see the US Navy's Blue Angels and other exhibits. For more information about the event, go here.

The Vigil for Peace/Iraq Moratorium will be observed on two days on March 20 and March 21, 2010 in Tampa, Florida on the sidewalks at the intersection of Dale Mabry Hwy and Gandy Blvd. located precisely at 3699 West Gandy Blvd, Tampa, FL 33611, 2km North of the main gate of MacDill USAFB and HQ of US CENTCOM and SOCCOM. We may send participants near the main gate at Interbay and Dale Mabry.

We cordially invite US CENTCOM Cmdr Gen David Petreaus and any military personnel out of uniform and folks in the Tampa bay region and the state of Florida to join in this monthly event to BRING 'EM HOME!

March 3, 6pm-7:30pm, Busboys and Poets at 5th and K NW, Washington DC.

Join Andy Shallal from Busboys and Poets and Medea Benjamin from CODEPINK in a discussion of how to build support to stop the city of Washington DC from offering Northrop Grumman $25 million in subsidies to relocate to DC. Not only is this an outrageous waste of taxpayer money, but Washington DC does not need another war company that will use its beefed up presence in the nation’s capitol to lobby for even more money for war. Let’s work together to KEEP NORTHRUP GRUMMAN OUT OF WASHINGTON DC. To generate jobs, we should support our local businesses, not war profiteers.

If you can’t come to the meeting, but want to help in the campaign, call 415-235-6517.

THE Z MEDIA INSTITUTE
NEW DEADLINE: Applications are being accepted now THROUGH MARCH 5 for the 2010 Z Media Institute, which is to be held June 6 to June 14.

Z Media Institute (ZMI) was started in 1994 by the cofounders of Z Magazine and South End Press to teach radical politics, media, and organizing skills; the principles and practice of creating non-hierarchical institutions and projects; and a special emphasis on vision and strategy for social change. Classes are held in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Over 700 students have attended ZMI since 1994, with ages ranging from 16 to 82.

To learn more, there is a video introduction, sample course and faculty listings, and a downloadable PDF application form on our website at: http://zcommunications.org/zmi/zmi.htm.

POLITICAL COURSES INCLUDE: principles of workplace democracy, foreign policy, ecology, political science, queer theory, women and revolution, labor, race, history, vision and strategy for a participatory society, and more.

MEDIA COURSES INCLUDE: analysis of mainstream media; starting a media project (newspaper, radio, video, magazine, Internet, organizing); challenges of alternative media; media activism; video activism; and more.

SKILLS COURSES INCLUDE: finances, promotion, fundraising, design, production, promotion, editing, facilitating meetings, writing for revolution, research and investigation techniques, political theater workshop, and more.

Hold the tea, please: Brownbag lunch vigils as forums for health care reform nationwide
by Samantha Michaels | Medill on the Hill

WASHINGTON — Members of Congress across the country were greeted by rather unusual lunch dates Wednesday at noon when they left their offices for a midday meal.

Waiting outside with brown paper lunch bags, progressive Democrats, anti-war groups and nurses associations gathered at about 65 congressional offices nationwide, urging their representatives to stop federal spending on warfare and increase funds for health care.

“Activists are doing everything from having lunch with representatives to standing outside where they’re a little less friendly about us barging in, to having very intimate discussions them,” said Donna Smith, a member of Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), and a community organizer who is spearheading the movement in Washington.

Called “brown bag lunch vigils,” these gatherings are in some ways a response to the conservative tea party movement.

“We’re countering all these ‘teabagger’ efforts, showing that there are an awful lot more ‘brownbaggers’ out here who are extremely concerned about this nation spending more and more on war,” said Smith, who is also a national co-chair for PDA’s “Healthcare NOT Warfare” campaign. Read more.

by Linda Milazzo

UPDATED: Feb, 28, 2010/5:40AM (local Chile time)

CNN International is now reporting 101 aftershocks have been recorded in Chile since yesterday's 8.8 earthquake with 7 at 6.0 or higher. Over 300 fatalities have been reported with 60 reported missing.

Japan is seeing tsunami flooding on its northern island of Hokkaido. The tsunami projection from NOAA reports a wave of 4 feet has just arrived. 320,000 coastal residents have been evacuated. The tsunami warning for Russia has been lifted.

UPDATED: Feb, 28, 2010/3:40AM (local Chile time)
The death toll in Chile is now confirmed at 300. Chile has not yet asked for help from other countries. More than one million buildings have been damaged. More than a half million houses have been completely destroyed and two million people affected. President Bachelet has been coordinating services steadily for nearly 24 hours since 5AM yesterday.

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've reached a sad milestone in Afghanistan. Today, Monday, February 22, 2010, it was reported that 1,000 U.S. Troops have now been killed in action (KIA) in Afghanistan. The name of the soldier and other details, other than being killed by an improvised explosive devise (IED), have yet to be released. For more information about troops killed in both Afghanistan and Iraq, go to www.icasualties.org on line.

To recognize the 1,000th KIA in Afghanistan and to say "enough" to continued killing there due to the 9-year U.S. occupation of Afghanistan, there will be an Emergency Antiwar Protest in Daytona Beach tomorrow evening, Tuesday February 23rd, beginning at 6:00 PM and ending at 8:00 PM on the Northwest corner of Nova Road and International Speedway Boulevard in front of the Steak N Shake. The street address is 1000 W. International Speedway Blvd, Daytona Beach, FL 32114 and directions can be found on line here.

This event is being billed as "Afghanistan - 1,000 KIA - Enough Already, Bring Them Home Now!".

There will be TV and Print News Media on site reporting on the event.

This event will not be a vigil, but rather a spirited demand that our government Stop The Wars Now!

Attendees are asked to bring signs such as those suggested in the notice.

For more information click "Read more." Click "File attachment" for flyer.

For more details, please see the Media Alert in the attached flyer or contact Phil Restino of Central Florida Veterans For Peace (VFP Chapter 136), cell: (386) 235-3268, hm: (386) 788-2918, email: CentralFlaVFP@aol.com. Thank you.

David Swanson speaking about his new book "Daybreak: Undoing the Imperial Presidency and Forming a More Perfect Union."
http://davidswanson.org/book

St. Louis, MO
February 22, 2010
7 p.m. at
Left Bank Books
399 North Euclid at McPherson in the Central West End
St. Louis, MO 63108
Sponsored by:
Veterans for Peace
CONTACT THE ORGANIZER:
Charles Smith
vfpch61@riseup.net

Chicago, IL
February 23, 2010
7 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Northwestern University, the Evanston Campus
The Tech Institute on 2145 Sheridan Road, First Floor, Lecture Room No. 2.
SPONSORED BY: Neighbors for Peace
CONTACT THE ORGANIZER:
Karen Pallist
pallist3 at gmail dot com

Boston, Massachusetts
February 27, 2010
7 p.m. at Harvard COOP.
The Harvard Coop Bookstore
1400 Massachusetts Avenue
18 Palmer Street
Cambridge, MA 02238
Store telephone: (617)499-2000
CONTACT THE ORGANIZERS:
Melida Arredondo
melida_arredondo at yahoo dot com
Elizabeth Ellis
ellisliza at hotmail dot com

Let the President Know About a Better Approach to Reform

President Obama recently said, "If anyone from either party has a better approach that will bring down premiums, bring down the deficit, cover the uninsured, strengthen Medicare for seniors, and stop insurance company abuses, let me know."

We should let him know that single-payer, Improved Medicare for all, accomplishes all those goals.

Call the White House at 202-456-1111. Tell them, "I'm letting you know that improved Medicare for all (HR 676) is better than the health bill proposed by Congress."

If you have another second, email the President here to ask him to start from scratch on health reform.

And don't forget to call Congress for single-payer.

"Margaret Flowers invites everybody to the Sidewalk Summit on Thursday, Feb 25th. Gather at 9 am on Pennsylvania Ave in front of the White House (north side) to hear why Medicare for All is the solution. If you can't be in DC, then hold your own Sidewalk Summit. Info at healthcare-now.org." -- from Dr. Margaret Flowers

Much more at Health Care NOW!

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and Viterbo University (La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA) will be the sites for the 2010 Wisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies conference on Human Rights (October 7-9, 2010).

Conference themes of the Universal Declaration include:

• Torture. Life, liberty and security of persons, Slavery
• Equality under the law
• Arbitrary arrest, detention or Exile
• Right to freedom of movement and residence
• Right to Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religion
• Freedom of Opinion and Expression
• Peaceful assembly and association
• Right to participate in Government
• Economic, social and cultural rights
• Right to be treated with dignity
• Right to Education
• Right to Health and wellbeing

Visit the conference website for more details.

We are excited about the keynote speakers and in particular that this conference includes both an “academic” component for people to present scholarly papers on human rights issues as well as pedagogical sessions for people to either present or to get ideas about how to introduce human rights into the K-University curriculum. Please consider submitting a proposal (the deadline is coming up soon—April 1) and encourage your colleagues to submit proposals. In addition, please let K-12 teachers in your area know about this and encourage them to attend and/or submit proposals.

Protest Planned for John Yoo in Charlottesville
For Immediate Release:
CONTACT:

On March 19, 2010, in Charlottesville, Va., on the day that the war in Iraq goes into its eighth year, and as the war in Afghanistan is escalated, residents will protest John Yoo, a former Justice Department lawyer who wrote memos between 2001 and 2003 authorizing aggressive war, torture, and other crimes.

A colorful musical march will begin at the university Corner at 2 p.m.

Protesters will arrive in front of Minor Hall on the UVA campus by 3 p.m. Yoo is scheduled to speak inside Minor Hall at 3:30. [UPDATE: RALLY SITE ACROSS MCCORMICK ROAD FROM MINOR HALL NEAR MONROE HALL]

A map of the University of Virginia:

[UPDATE: RALLY SITE ACROSS MCCORMICK ROAD FROM MINOR HALL NEAR MONROE HALL]

(For the 2 p.m. location just ask anyone where "The Corner" is.)

Directions from Washington, D.C. (2 hours)
Take Constitution Avenue West
Merge onto I-66 W
Take the US-15 exit, EXIT 40, toward HAYMARKET/LEESBURG
Turn LEFT onto US-15 S/JAMES MADISON HWY
Turn RIGHT onto LEE HWY/US-29 S/US-15 S. Continue to follow US-29 S.
US-29 S becomes US-29 BR S/EMMET ST N.
Large parking garage on left just after intersection with Ivy Road as you reach UVA campus.
Minor Hall is on McCormick Road, so just type that road name and Charlottesville VA into Mapquest.

Here's a song sheet: PDF.

Protest John Yoo in Charlottesville, Va., on March 19

On the day Year 8 begins in the Iraq War, and as Afghanistan escalates, come protest the lawyer who "legalized" these wars.

2 p.m. March With Funk the War: meet on grass across from The Corner at the University of Virginia.

3 p.m. Rally to Protest John Yoo: meet in front of Minor Hall at the University of Virginia to protest John Yoo, who speaks in Minor Hall at 3:30. [UPDATE: RALLY SITE ACROSS MCCORMICK ROAD FROM MINOR HALL NEAR MONROE HALL]

Joan Wile of the Granny Peace Brigade writes:

THE G.I. FATALITY COUNT IN AFGHANISTAN IS 998 TODAY, FRIDAY, FEB. 19, ACCORDING TO ICASUALTIES.ORG.

THEREFORE, WE MUST BE ON ALERT AND EXPECT THAT WITHIN THE NEXT DAY OR SO IT WILL REACH 1,000.

So, please keep checking icasualties.org, and remember that the day after it hits 1,000 we will meet at 5:30 p.m. on the west side of 5th Ave. between 49th and 50th Sts (the Grandmothers Against the War, Granny Peace Brigade, and Veterans for Peace 6-year plus regular weekly vigil site). I will send a notice the minute I see the count has reached the dreaded number.

Many groups will be joining us -- Peace Action NYS; Veterans for Peace; the Granny Peace Brigade; the Raging Grannies; Code Pink; and others.

State Senator Bill Perkins has promised to be there if the day does not fall on a day he is in Albany. Other leaders and celebrities are being invited to speak, as well. In addition, we will read the names of G.I. and Afghan civilian fatalities. At the end of the hour's vigil at 6:30, we will silently walk to the recruiting station at Times Square for some songs and talk.

INASMUCH AS THE MEDIA HAS BEEN INVITED, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A BIG SHOWING SO THAT WE CAN SEND A STRONG MESSAGE TO THE WARMAKERS. PLEASE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO BE THERE.

Please remember to bring candles and/or flashlights. I will be making a number of black armbands created by John Bolstrom of NYS Peace Action. There are two files attached. One can be printed out on paper and worn. The other is a template that can be used to cut for painting onto ribbon or material.