Comments on: Cynthia McKinney, Sen. Mike Gravel, others to speak at anti-war escalation rally December 12 in DC

By: paulie

paulie — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:03:45 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, December 10, 2009

CONTACT: Laurie Dobson, Director, End US Wars, 207-604.8988,
contact@enduswars. org

Rally in DC on December 12 will tell President Obama “No You Can’t!”
send more US troops to Afghanistan

• Obama’s escalation plans will turn many of his supporters against
him, say rally organizers and speakers, who note that Obama’s Nobel
Peace Prize acceptance speech is the first ever to promote war

Emergency Anti-War Rally at the White House against President Obama’s
planned military escalation in Afghanistan
• When: Saturday, December 12, 11 am to 4 pm
• Lafayette Park in Washington, DC, across from the White House, near
the Farragut West Metro Station
• Organized by End US Wars http://www.enduswars.org

• Rally speakers available for interview: see speakers list
(http://www.enduswars.org/guide

), call 207-604.8988

WASHINGTON, DC — Thousands of Americans will gather in Lafayette Park
across from the White House on Saturday, December 12, to tell
President Obama “No you can’t!” send over 30,000 more US troops to
Afghanistan.

Speakers for the rally will include Rep. Dennis Kucinich, former Rep.
Cynthia McKinney, former Sen. Mike Gravel, and many others. Many of
the speakers are available for interview: see the online speakers list
(http://www.enduswars.org/guide

) and contact Laurie Dobson at
207-604.8988.

Ralliers will demand that President Obama announce an immediate
ceasefire in Iraq and Afghanistan to end the wars and order our troops
home, stop Predator drone attacks and covert operations in Pakistan,
and begin immediate reconstruction and recovery in war torn regions.

If the President does not meet these demands, he will face intensified
opposition, with anti-war candidates prepared to defeat his war policy
politically. Rally organizers noted that President Obama’s Nobel
Peace Prize acceptance speech is the first in history to defend
military invasion and occupation.

Along with the rally on December 12, the film ‘Rethink Afghanistan’
will be shown Friday December 11, from 8 to 10 pm at Busboys & Poets,
14th and V Streets NW in Washington, DC.

More information: email contact@enduswars.org or visit http://www.enduswars.org

For press inquiries, phone: Laurie Dobson, Director, End US Wars (207) 604.8988

~ END ~

By: paulie

paulie — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:22:10 +0000

(Forwarded release. The End US Wars coalition is a nonpartisan organization.)

End US Wars
http://www.enduswars.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, December 8, 2009

CONTACT
Laurie Dobson, 207-604-8988, contact@enduswars.org

Available for interview: Speakers at the Dec. 12 rally in DC against
President Obama’s troop escalation plan

• List includes Dennis Kucinich, Cynthia McKinney, Mike Gravel, Chris
Hedges, many others

WASHINGTON, DC — The December 12 anti-escalation rally in Lafayette
Park across from the White House will feature a list of prominent
speakers, many of them available for interview before and after the
event.

Among the confirmed speakers are several military veterans, Rep.
Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), Cynthia McKinney (2008 Green presidential
nominee, former Georgia Rep.), former Sen. Mike Gravel (D-Alaska),
Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Chris Hedges, and Rev. Graylan
Hagler.

Reporters are invited to cover the rally, which takes place 11 am to 4
pm on Saturday, December 12 in Lafayette Park, Washington, DC. The
rally, titled “No You Can’t!”, has been organized by the End US Wars
coalition (http://www.enduswars.org

). The rally will challenge
President Obama’s plans for more than 30,000 new US troops to be sent
to Afghanistan, which he formally announced in a televised address on
Tuesday, December 1.

Many of the speakers in the list below are available for broadcast,
print, and online interview. (Organizations are mentioned for
affiliation purposes.) To contact one or more speakers, call Laurie
Dobson at 207-604-8988.

Scheduled Speakers for the Dec. 12 rally (http://www.enduswars.org/guide

)
• Dennis Kucinich, US Representative (D-Ohio) and former presidential
candidate, http://www.kucinich.house.gov

• Cynthia McKinney 2008 Green Party candidate for President, former
six-term Democratic Congresswoman from Georgia,
http://dignity.ning.com

• Mike Gravel 2008 candidate for President, former two-term Democratic
Senator from Alaska (1969-1981), http://www.mikegravel.us

• Kathy Kelly, Center for Creative Nonviolence, thrice nominated for
the Nobel Peace Prize, founding member of Voices in the Wilderness,
http://vitw.org

http://users.erols.com/ccnv

• Chris Hedges, Pultizer Prize winning author & journalist, most
recent book Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of
Spectacle
• David Swanson, AfterDowningStreet.org, author of Daybreak: Undoing
the Imperial Presidency and Forming a More Perfect Union,
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org

• Dr. Sahar Shafqat, Pakistani activist and scholar,
http://faculty.smcm.edu/sshafqat

• Rev. Graylan Hagler, Senior Minister, Plymouth Congregational United
Church of Christ, Washington, DC, http://www.plymouth-ucc.org

• Gael Murphy, CODEPINK, http://www.codepink4peace.org

• Coy McKinney, peace activist, http://www.everythingology.com

• Debra Sweet, The World Can’t Wait, http://www.worldcantwait.net

• Brian Becker International A.N.S.W.E.R., http://www.answercoalition.org

• Mathis Chiroux, Iraq Veterans Against the War, http://www.ivaw.org

• Lynne Williams, Green candidate for Governor of Maine in 2010,
http://www.lynnewilliams2010.org

• Betty Hall, 14-term member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives (D)
• Elaine Brower, Military Families Speak Out, http://www.mfso.org

• Marian Douglas, writer, DC Statehood Green Party,
http://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org

• Michael Knox, PhD, US Peace Memorial Foundation,
http://www.uspeacememorial.org

• Ralph Lopez, filmmaker, Jobs For Afghans, http://jobsforafghans.org

• Captain Ron Fisher, US Navy (retired), WeThePeopleNow.org,
http://wethepeoplenow.org

• Colonel Ann Wright, US Army (retired), US State Department
(retired), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Wright

• Rabbi Michael Lerner, founder of Tikkun, http://www.tikkun.org

• Kevin Zeese, director of VotersForPeace.US, http://www.votersforpeace.us

• Stephen Zunes, PhD, Professor of Politics and International Studies
at the University of San Francisco, http://www.stephenzunes.org

• Jared Ball, journalist, broadcaster on WPFW-FM in Washington, DC,
http://www.wpfw.org

• John Judge, co-founder of 911 CitizensWatch, http://judgeforyourself.us

• Jay Marx, Washington Peace Center, http://www.washingtonpeacecenter.org

• Christopher Towne, National Assembly to End the Wars in Afghanistan
and Iraq, http://www.natassembly.org

• David Zirin, International Socialist Organization,
http://www.internationalsocialist.org

• Stephen Lendman, Global Research News Hour, http://www.globalresearch.ca

• Doris “Granny D” Haddock, peace activist, http://www.grannyd.com

Laurie Dobson, who will moderate the program, is a long time peace
activist, writer, land planner, community organizer and a 2008
independent candidate in Maine for the U.S. Senate. Music will be
provided by Jordan Page, Head-Roc, Emma’s Revolution, and Precise
Science.

Along with the rally on December 12, a social event featuring many of
the speakers and musicians will take place Friday, December 11, from 8
to 10 pm at Busboys & Poets, 14th and V Streets NW in Washington, DC.
Palestinian musician Huda Asfour will perform and the film ‘Rethink
Afghanistan’ will be screened.

For updates on the rally, visit the End US Wars web site
(http://www.enduswars.org

~ END ~

By: Green Party fan

Green Party fan — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:00:33 +0000

Michael Bloomberg pushing Green Party plan to make NYC buildings more energy efficient.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/08/opinion/l08emissions.html

By: paulie

paulie — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:33:46 +0000

They have now announced Kucinich will be speaking as well. They should try to get Ron Paul if they haven’t already and make it even more inclusive. Good to see they are including Gravel…

(Forwarded by the Green Party of the United States, which has endorsed
the Dec. 12 rally (http://www.gp.org

/
http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=267

). End US Wars is a
nonpartisan coalition.)

End US Wars
http://www.enduswars.org

PRESS ADVISORY
December 7, 2009

CONTACT: Laurie Dobson 207-604-8988

We will tell President Obama “No You Can’t!” send more US troops to Afghanistan

Anti-War Rally set for Saturday, December 12th from 11:00 am to 4 pm
at the White House

Washington, DC – Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) will join former Rep.
Cynthia McKinney, former Sen. Mike Gravel, Nobel Peace Prize nominee
Kathy Kelly, and a host of antiwar leaders for an emergency rally in
Lafayette Park this Saturday.

We will demand that President Obama announce an immediate ceasefire in
Iraq and Afghanistan to end the wars and order our troops home. The
President must stop Predator drone attacks and covert operations in
Pakistan, and begin immediate reconstruction and recovery in war torn
regions. Too many people have suffered and died.

If the President does not meet these demands, we promise intensified
opposition, with anti-war candidates prepared to defeat his war
policy.

About Us
We are a new coalition of antiwar organizations, peace and justice
advocates, and citizens of conscience who challenge our elected
leaders to end the US wars of aggression in Afghanistan and Iraq and
bring our troops home. See our website, http://www.enduswars.org

for
more information on the protest and a complete list of speakers.

~ END ~

By: Dave Lyon

Dave Lyon — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 19:20:52 +0000

Mike Gravel’s gonna be there?
I’m sold.
Love that badass mofo.

By: Robert Milnes

Robert Milnes — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 03:58:11 +0000

I don’t see any libertarians on this list of speakers. Seems mostly green & red. Please correct me if I’m wrong. Esp. any radical/anarchists. Prof. Phillies would be a nice addition. He could update the greens & reds on the U.S. Senate race in MA where there is no green or red. He seems to have taken a personal interest in this Joe Kennedy’s candidacy.

By: Robert Milnes

Robert Milnes — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 03:46:27 +0000

Dave Schwab, are you going to green puke on Dec 12 & twiddle your thumbs in January?

By: Dave Schwab

Dave Schwab — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 02:23:05 +0000

Yes, it’s that Lynne Williams. I like how she’s using her campaign to highlight important issues, like Afghanistan and marriage equality.

By: Ross Levin

Ross Levin — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 00:26:59 +0000

Lynne Williams will also be there – not sure if that’s the candidate for Maine governor of the Green Party named Lynne Williams or not.

By: Erika

Erika — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:55:59 +0000

By: Robert Milnes

Robert Milnes — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 07:16:28 +0000

We need for all these people who go to the rally on Dec. 12, to then go to MA & CA & campaign for these 2 candidates. We need a large progressive & libertarian voter turnout. This might make the difference as a small voter turnout is normal for such off year elections. I personally am willing to go to MA & campaign if I am able.

By: Robert Milnes

Robert Milnes — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 07:01:06 +0000

The PLAS Experiment-the Los Alamos of political science, could very well be the 2 upcoming special elections in January in MA & CA. In MA there is a libertarian Independent, Joe Kennedy for U.S. Senate. Jan. 19. No Green on ballot. He has been endorsed by the LPMA chair & Prof. Phillies. In CA there is a Green, Jane Rands for State Assembly. Jan 12. No Libertarian on ballot. If the voters could be educated to vote for the the Libertarian in MA where there is no Green & the Green votes would probably go to the democrat, & for the Green in CA where there is no Libertarian in a 10% republican advantage district & no Libertarian on ballot, it just could work to COMBINE & MAXIMIZE their vote. So we need the candidates to endorse the Strategy & for a campaign to educate the voters. THAT, IMO is more important & urgent than the Emergency Anti-Escalation Rally of Dec. 12.

By: Robert Milnes

Robert Milnes — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 06:45:35 +0000

Erica, The PLAS is a weapon. A very powerful weapon. It is to political science what the fusion bomb was to physics. It is the non violent voting out of reactionaries by progressives and revolutionaries. The Progressive Libertarian Alliance Strategy. ONE Green OR ONE Libertarian per ballot on EVERY ballot. First on the ballot is recognized. Fusion executive ticket. Green president/Libertarian vp. This is how if Teddy Roosevelt had selected a progressive democrat vp he may very well have won in 1912. Last year Nader could have selected a libertarian vp & won. The Libertarians at their convention which I did not have gas money to go, could have nominated Gravel, a left/progressive & Mary Ruwart & won. After the convention I asked Ruwart to be my vp on an Independent ticket. NO! So, you see Erica, there is a history. & this is a very complex and difficult situation. No amount of begging the reactionaries at rallys is going to do it.

By: Erika

Erika — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 06:28:37 +0000

What’s PLAS?

By: Robert Milnes

Robert Milnes — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 06:05:04 +0000

“Rally organizers are calling for the left wing to end its support for Obama…In addition the process will begin to replace Obama with an anti-war candidate, and to remove any pro-war legislators…” Ha! Ha! Ha! He,He,Haw Haw. How quickly they forget. Tom Hayden & Progressives for Obama. The rationale was that he was the most progressive ELECTIBLE candidate. A liberal democrat. A progressive democrat e.g. Gravel, Kuchinich et al are NOT ELECTIBLE under the present circumstances. & even a liberal democrat is extremely difficult. They’ve been trying since JFK. Kennedy was surely instrumental in finding & grooming Obama. Keynote speaker etc. When he stood up & endorsed Obama it was the product of years & he was dman sure Obama was a liberal, not a progressive/leftist. Obama is a lock for renomination in 2012. Just about none of the pro war legislators will be removed. Certainly not by anything the anti-war movement does. Reactionaries are warmongers. Plain & simple. The left & particularly libs are too few & virtually powerless to do much of anything about all this. Hence the knee-jerk “Emergency” response to Obama’s speech. Everybody knows the routine. Obama knows there will be response against his policies. So what? He’s not sweating it. You want to make Obama & the reactionaries sweat? Use the PLAS to vote them the HELL OUT!

By: Zeleni

Zeleni — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 01:07:38 +0000

Milnes,

I suggest you hold a counter-rally to show your opposition to this blatant misprioritization.

By: Robert Milnes

Robert Milnes — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:28:55 +0000

The PLAS Experiment is far more urgent and important than the Emergency Anti-Escalation Rally.

By: Don Lake .......... The USSR messed up in Afghanistan also

Don Lake .......... The USSR messed up in Afghanistan also — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 21:13:01 +0000

Destroying nations from the inside out, no surer ways than ‘trophy purchases’ [Japan in the 1970s and 1980s], Public Relations stunts [NASA], funny money stunts [Germany Hyper Inflation in the 1920s] and far away, needless ‘foreign adventures’!

Is it just coincidence that WWI bankrupted the British Empire ????? ….. Afghanistan was the being of the end of the USSR ??????

* tunes * When will they ever learn, when will they ever learn ……..

By: Independent Green Party

Independent Green Party — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:40:57 +0000

Thanks for this story.

One of the most credible people at this rally – and there are many fine folks – will retired Navy Captain, and Naval Academy graduate, Ron Fisher.

Captian Fisher graduated first in his class at the navy nuclear submarine school. Served almost 34 years in the U.S. Navy.

Fisher has been on the ballot twice as an Independent Green in Virginia. In 2007 for House of Delegates, where he received almost 26% of the vote. Ron Fisher was a candidate for U.S. House of Representatives as an Independent Green in 2008.

His strong debate performances can be seen at http://www.VoteJoinRun.US

Or just google Ron Fisher on YouTube.

Many of Virginia’s Independent Greens plan to attend this event.

Imagine how much you could do in America with the nearly $200 Billion dollars being wasted in fiscal 2010 on those absurd wars.

Applause to all, who have organized this event.

Thanks to the national Green Party.