Organizing Locally

Nation-Wide Out Of Iraq Day

Join progressive, pro-peace activists around the country for a nation-wide ‘Out of Iraq Day.’

TIME: Saturday, Jan. 7th @ 1:00 PM
PLACE: Presbyterian Church, 85 South Oxford St, Brooklyn

No, that's not a dating tip. It's an impeachment tip.
Take part in one of these events on Saturday, January 7, and call your Congress Member as part of a National Call-In Day for Accountability on January 9.

By Buzz Davis, Stoughton, WI

Below is a copy of the email invitation we are using to round up folks for our Saturday town meeting in Madison, WI. Ed Garvey is a member of Vets for Peace and he will speak along with others. Ed was the 1998 Democratic candidate for governor in WI. Tommy Thompson won as your know. Ed would be a great governor.

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/event

Out of Iraq Events Planned Nationwide on January 7th
National Call-In Day on Accountability Planned for January 9th
International Commission Taking "Indictments" to White House January 9th

Out of Iraq Events Planned in Over 70 Cities
Local organizations have planned over 70 Out of Iraq events around the country on or about January 7th. (See list at bottom.) Most of the events are town hall forums, and several will feature members of Congress, including Bobby Scott, Diane Watson, Jim McDermott, Adam Smith, Bob Filner, Martin Sabo, Jim Moran, Marty Meehan, and John Murtha. Several other events will feature congressional staff, congressional and senatorial candidates, local elected officials, and leaders of the peace movement, including Gold Star Families for Peace founder Cindy Sheehan, and After Downing Street Co-Founder John Bonifaz.

End The Iraq War - Demonstrations and Nonviolent Resistance at Recruiting Stations Across the Country

Young Americans sign on to go into harm’s way to defend their country if necessary, but instead they are being turned into harm’s ministers in a war that has claimed more then 100,000 Iraqi lives and nearly 2,000 Americans. The President and Congress have breached a sacred trust with our soldiers and abused their oath to defend the Constitution by leading young Americans to kill and die in a war based on lies.

As the Bush Administration refuses to make plans to bring our troops home, join us for “National Stand Down Day,

The World Can't Wait -- Drive Out the Bush Regime! Mobilize for November 2nd!
www.worldcantwait.org info@worldcantwait.org 866-973-4463

Join Ed Begley Jr, Esther Kaplan, Casey Kasem, Harold Pinter, Gore Vidal,
Saul Williams, academics, artists, writers, activists performers, and 5000+
others in signing the World Can't Wait Call to Drive Out the Bush Regime!

Read statements from signers for the call to Drive Out The bush Regime.
Is the Bush Regime self-destructing? Indictments? or Not? As of this
writing, it appears Karl Rove --much less Cheney-- will NOT be indicted in

November 1, 2005 URGENT ACTION ALERT

Dear After Downing Street Member Groups,

Cities for Peace (now under the auspices of Cities for Progress), also an After Downing Street Member group, congratulates you all and After Downing Street on the fantastic efforts and success in Washington and around the country on September 24th! We invite and urge you also to participate in a local activity that has the potential to grab lots of media attention, to raise even higher the level of public discussion on the issue of peace in Iraq and of Federal Budget Priorities. Please join 60 other cities, including Chicago and Philadelphia, in passing a Bring the Troops Home Now! Resolution in your community.

By Debra Sweet, National Co-ordinator, the World Can't Wait

Tomorrow is the beginning of the end of the Bush Regime! I wanted to pass along some ideas about the character of the rallies and demonstrations for our launch.

We've got to keep in mind what we're trying to do with these events. We are beginning a movement that will drive Bush from office and reverse the whole direction in which he's been taking society. Every day a new outrage drives home the need for nothing less than this. If anyone needs more proof, look at the Libby indictment, followed closely by the Alito nomination!

By Global Exchange

As of today, 1,982 US soldiers have been killed in Iraq, and more than 15,000 have been wounded. US soldiers are at grave risk in Iraq, and continue to suffer even after they come home. Troops returning to the US are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, and are even turning up in homeless shelters in cities through the country. The risk for Iraqis is even more severe: Tens of thousands of Iraqis have been killed in the war, and hundreds of thousands of lives have been devastated, even according to the most conservative estimates.

Sadly, the fact that Iraqis just voted for a new constitution is unlikely to end the violence in Iraq -- just as the violence continued unabated after the capture of Saddam Hussein in December 2003 and after the January 2005 election of the Iraqi national assembly.

The World Can't Wait!
Drive Out the Bush Regime!
Mobilize for November 2, 2005!
http://www.worldcantwait.org/

Your government, on the basis of outrageous lies, is waging a murderous and utterly illegitimate war in Iraq, with other countries in their sights. Your government is openly torturing people, and justifying it. Your government puts people in jail on the merest suspicion, refusing them lawyers, and either holding them indefinitely or deporting them in the dead of night.

Your government is moving each day closer to a theocracy, where a narrow and hateful brand of Christian fundamentalism will rule.

THE WORLD CAN'T WAIT - DRIVE OUT THE BUSH REGIME
NATIONAL ORGANIZING CONFERENCE
NEW YORK CITY, SATURDAY & SUNDAY, SEPT. 3-4
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Community Center
208 West 13th Street, NYC.
(347) 693-3319
http://www.worldcantwait.org

SATURDAY, SEPT. 3 6:00 pm-8:30 pm
PUBLIC Program: "Why the Bush Regime Must be Driven Out -- and How we
can build a movement to do that," including Larry Everest, author of
Oil, Power & Empire: Iraq and the U.S. Global Agenda (Common Courage
Press 2004)

*************************************

Friends: The question on everyone's minds is: With the political life in

by madame defarge at Democracy Cell Project

On a sunny summer Sunday in the Chicago suburbs, over 150 people gathered in the Highland Park town square for the second time in 5 days to take a stand for peace.

This time, we gathered in commemoration of those souls who have given their lives to the American military involvement in Iraq. We were there to dedicate the first semi-permanent display in the country that's based on the touring display Eyes Wide Open.

For the next 30 days, people passing by will see a collection of combat boots, shoes, and red and purple poppies that sit in symbolic recognition:
- 50 combat boots representing the states and territories that have sacrificed their sons & daughters
- 100 pair of civilian shoes for the estimated 100,000 Iraqi deaths
- 100 red poppies for over 12,000 wounded and disable soldiers
- 200 purple poppies for the 1 in 3 soldiers who will return home with emotional and mental disorders

Ben's chili is hot, and so was the weather tonight. But about 40 people gathered to think about the various issues facing DC citizens.

For more on the issue of DC voting rights, go here.

But the lesson I want to share here is the one Ven Neralla, from Rep. Barbara Lee's office, shared with the group.

This group, by the way, is a Democracy for America group, one of many meetups discussing the Lee Resolution of Inquiry tonight.

It was hot. People were a little uncomfortable. Someone asked how we could get Congressmembers to respond to our requests. After all, we have no vote in Congress.

Many members of the After Downing Street coalition are available to talk at local events. While they generally do not require any speaking fees, please note that if you wish for them to travel outside the area where they live you would in most cases need to pay for their expenses.

If you are interested in learning about their availability, please contact us at info@afterdowningstreet.org or 301 928 7579.

JOHN C. BONIFAZ is co-founder of After Downing Street. A Boston-based attorney specializing in constitutional law, Mr. Bonifaz served as lead counsel for a coalition of US soldiers, parents of US soldiers, and Members of Congress in John Doe I v. President Bush, a constitutional challenge to President Bush’s authority to wage war against Iraq absent a congressional declaration of war or equivalent action.

July 23rd: Downing Street Minutes 3rd Anniversary Events

Several Congress Members have agreed to host events in their home districts on July 23rd, the third anniversary of the famous meeting on Downing Street. On that day, all over the country, there will be town hall meetings, dramatic readings of the Downing Street Minutes, study circles, and house parties. Participants around the country will be able to call into a conference call with Congressman John Conyers and other featured speakers.

If you haven't signed up yet, please do so now.

Resources for events.

You can create a public listing of your event here. You will be able to communicate with the people who sign up for your event, and to edit the listing for your event, changing or filling in details later, which means that you can signup to host an event, but indicate that some details are "To Be Announced." Again the instructions for editing your event are here.

The Franklin County Democratic League is organizing bridge visibilities for the first day of the Fourth of July holiday weekend, Friday July 1st, from 3-6 p.m.

We plan to hold signs in protest of the Bush Administration Iraq war policy and in support of the Downing Street Memo investigation. For those of you who have participated in the bridge visibilities with us in the past, you will remember that this is an afternoon of heavy traffic. We can share our message with hundreds of people as they travel north to frolic in the hills and lakes of New Hampshire and Vermont while other Americans are dying in Iraq.

The main AfterDowningStreet.org forums are on the Democrats.com Site:
http://www.democrats.com/forum/263
That's the place to get organized.

_____________________

_____________________

SEE ALSO:

Forums for AfterDowningStreet.org Bloggers at Big Brass Alliance:
http://www.bigbrassblog.com/phpbb/

How about a peaceful nonviolent protest when he comes to town?

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

RICE in Middle East and Europe: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will travel to the Middle East and Europe from June 17-23, 2005. Secretary Rice will visit Ramallah, Jerusalem, Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia to discuss regional peacemaking efforts, support for democracy and reform throughout the region, and counter terrorism. The Secretary will then travel to Brussels for the International Conference on Iraq, where representatives from over 80 nations and international organizations will come together in support of the Iraqi Transitional Government and its effort to build a free, democratic, and prosperous Iraq. The Secretary will proceed to London for the Ministerial Meeting of the G-8 in preparation for the July G-8 Summit. [Department of State, 6/13/05]

Our After Downing Street Rally at KTLA/KCBS last week was a great success! Thank you all for your help in spreading the word. Check out the Indymedia pix and video: http://www.la.indymedia.org/news/2005/06/129447.php

This Saturday, we would like to repeat the success of our last rally with the hopes of raising awareness of the Downing Street Coverup, impeachable offenses of this administration, and a renewed call to bring our troops home now. We realize that people have many other options in where to spend their Saturday; however, an average of two soldiers are dying every day in Iraq! We cannot afford to sit back and wait any longer.

Bush's Schedule.

Catch him on the road. Ask him what the media won't. Stage a peaceful nonviolent protest.

Nearly six in 10 Americans say the United States should withdraw some or all of its troops from Iraq, a new Gallup Poll finds, the most downbeat view of the war since it began in 2003. [USA Today, 6/13/05]

Monday, June 13, 2005

THUNE in New York, NY at 12:00 PM: Heartland Values PAC hosts Honorary Chairman Senator John Thune in his first fundraising visit to NYC, Grand Hyatt Hotel, Park Avenue at Grand Central Station. [SD Sources]

State Dems: Impeach Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld too
The Capital Times
By David Callender, June 13, 2005

Wisconsin Democrats are calling for the impeachment of President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

Loyalists at this weekend's state party convention in Oshkosh passed a resolution calling for Congress to initiate impeachment proceedings against the three officials for their role in the war in Iraq.

The resolution contends that the administration "lied or misled" the United Nations, Congress, and the American public about the justification for the war. It cites the so-called "Downing Street memo" from British Prime Minister Tony Blair's government, as well as reports from U.N. weapons inspectors as evidence of widespread deception.

AWAKEN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA
By Michael Clark

Since June first, I've been publishing a series of diaries entitled "Awaken the MSM" at Daily Kos.

Initially these diaries were aimed at lifting the virtual news blackout on DSM. After a month of pushing for coverage, relatively little had been achieved. At the time, it seemed to me that if web-based activists continued to operate under our tactics up until that point--primarily a scatter-shot approach to contacting media outlets--we were unlikely to make significant progress soon. I wanted to begin a focused, coordinated, and above all sustained effort to get the attention of the news media.

San Francisco Chronicle, Sunday Opinion Section, full page on Iraqi labor unions

Text and photos by David Bacon

GET IT HERE

Politely, peacefully, and nonviolently inquire when you see them as to what sort of imbeciles they take us for.

Thursday, June 9, 2005

*NEW DETAILS: BUSH in Columbus, OH, 9:35am: THE PRESIDENT makes remarks on the PATRIOT Act, Ohio State Highway Patrol Academy | Columbus, OH, OPEN PRESS [Washington Post, 6/9/05; White House 6/9/05]

*NEW: MEHLMAN in Pennsylvania, 5:30pm: Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Ken Mehlman takes his "Conversations With The Community" outreach series to Jewish business and community leaders in Pennsylvania, Thursday, June 9, 2005. What: "Conversations With The Community" Town Hall When: Thursday, June 9, 2005 5:30 - 6:30 pm (EDT) Where: The Duquense Club, 325 Sixth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA [RNC, 6/8/05]

From US Labor Against War

Tour of United States planned for June 10-26:

Six Iraqi labor leaders will be touring the US to speak with the labor movement to both educate US trade unionists about the conditions faced by Iraqi workers and their struggles and to build direct worker-to-worker, union-to-union solidarity and support for Iraqi trade unionists in their effort to build a progressive secular Iraq.

LEARN MORE.

By Bob Olsen, Toronto

On June 7, the Toronto Coalition to Stop the War ( www.nowar.ca ) adopted my suggestion that we start an Indict Bush campaign here in Canada.

Here is the text of a handbill that we will print next week, to be handed out at local events.

Indict: to charge with a criminal offense.

George Bush should be charged with war crimes under Canada's "Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act".

"This act was passed in 2000 to bring Canada's ineffectual laws in line

Here's Bush's schedule for those who want to try to ask him about the Downing Street Minutes or even to stage a peaceful nonviolent protest.Wednesday, June 8, 2005

*NEW DETAILS: BUSH in Washington DC, 10:30am: President Bush will welcome Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the White House on June 8, 2005. This meeting will provide an opportunity to invigorate U.S.-Turkish cooperation with respect to Turkey's European Union aspirations, and to strengthen our work together to advance freedom in Iraq and the Broader Middle East, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. [White House Release, 5/24/05; 6/7/05]

Please post as comments below the responses Congress Members and Senators send you to your Emails.

WAR IS A CRIME (FORMERLY AFTER DOWNING STREET) COALITION MEMBERS

Organizations and individuals interested in joining should contact us.

See also, the list of organizations supporting prosecution of Bush, Cheney, et alia.

Organizations

1% A Peace Army
A Bigger Tent
Action Center for Justice
Agir contre la guerre (France)
Alliance Marxist-Leninist (Marxist-Leninist Review)
America In Solidarity