Detroit - cut off all war funds - Feb 17th (with Conyers)

[noamnety]

We are urging anti-war and social justice activists from around the state to come to Detroit this Saturday, Feb. 17 at 1 PM to "Tell Congress - Not Another Penny for the War!" Congressman John Conyers will attend the meeting, straight from the debate in the House on the non-binding resolution over escalation. Conyers spoke strongly at the demonstration Jan 27th and in the House for cutting off the funds for the war. He is also one of 34 co-sponsors of HR 508 that would cut funds. Let's send a strong message from all over the state that we need that money here in Michigan for jobs, housing, education, food, etc. Location - Central United Methodist Church, 2nd floor - at Woodward
Ave. and E. Adams St. in downtown Detroit. Call 313-319-0870 for more information and to let us know if you or your group would like to speak.

[SharonRB]

1. Hi, LW

I just cross-posted this on MichiganLiberal. Depending on what my day is like tomorrow, I may try to come.

[meganmonkey]

2. How'd it go in Detroit? (Pics from Ann Arbor)

We had about 50-75 people max in Ann Arbor.

[SharonRB]

3. We probably had about the same

Ours was all indoors, though, not an outdoor rally or march. Conyers spoke and there were a lot of other speakers -- several were very dynamic and quite emotional. There was an article in the Freep Sunday and I'm in the picture that was in the article -- at the far right of the front table in the photo. That's the second time I've gone to see Conyers and managed to get in the paper.

A couple from Ann Arbor was sitting at my table. They said they couldn't find any details about the Ann Arbor event, so they came to Detroit instead. The Detroit one wasn't very well publicized -- if not for DU and lwfern, I wouldn't have known about it at all. I didn't see any other DUers I knew.

[meganmonkey]

4. That's great that Conyers was there

I'm sort of surprised the Ann Arbor folks couldn't find the info. We actually got a little blurb announcing it in the A2 News, it was on the Troops Out Now website with a phone number, and several local activist groups sent out emails. On the other hand, 2 of the biggest peace orgs in town decided against endorsing/participating in the event (not sure why). Apparently the night before the event one of them included info about our event in a larger email to their list but I don't know how much info was on it.

Frankly there is a bit of a disconnect between us daily protestors (who created an informal coalition to plan this event) and the larger nonprofit peace-related groups in town. It's a bummer. I don't know if they didn't like the Troops Out Now organization, but with events like these it's just a matter of planning something on the same day as other cities, it isn't like by holding an event in solidarity one is accepting the whole platform or something. I don't know. It's so damn frustrating.

:shrug:

on edit: I just checked out the freep article - Nice to see your face again!!

Hey, are you going to DC for the March 17 event?

[SharonRB]

5. No -- I went in to the January march

Gotta save some bucks -- I'm going to Chicago in June for a gallery opening Bunny Planet is having and again in August for YearlyKos.

And, to be honest, I'm less than thrilled with anything A.N.S.W.E.R. is involved with.