ENCAMPMENT TO STOP THE WAR - DAY 1

[Jcrowley]

ENCAMPMENT TO STOP THE WAR - DAY 1
By Les Blough in Washington
Mar 13, 2007, 15:39

“If I can’t dance I won’t join the revolution!”

- Emma Goldman

The Encampment to Stop the War was pitched yesterday on the Washington Mall directly in front of the capital in full view of the Democrat-led congress demanding that they defund the U.S. war on the people of Iraq. It kicked off yesterday morning with 4 large trucks rolling into the Washington Mall, loaded with scaffolding, staging, conference room tents, medical supplies and all the equipment we needed to set up the Encampment. People began arriving to camp against the war at about noon. Some of those I interviewed came from Wisconsin, Arizona, Michigan, Missouri, Louisiana, North Carolina, Virginia, New York, Boston, Maine and others from in and around Washington DC. They came to set up their tents and demand that the Democrats in congress defund the war. It’s truly been a great day! The positive spirit that only empowered people can know fueled us to get the work done – and there was a lot of good work! Everyone pitched in to help set up conference-room size canopy tents as meeting places, a clinic for medical emergencies and our 4 p.m. press conference.



Walter Williams is the man who designed and directed the setup for the Encampment. Here he is on top of the scaffold securing the banner. Roll Call - a publication that arrived on the desk of every member of congress published this photograph this morning with the following words:


CONGRESS: THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING!
CUT OFF WAR FUNDS
END THE WAR NOW – BRING THE TROOPS HOME!

Buddy Spell, an activist attorney is here from New Orleans. He helped set up Cindy Sheehan’s Camp Casey and served as the lawyer for that historic encampment in George Bush’s front yard. He has organized 24 activist lawyers in Washington to support The Encampment to Stop the War.

Code Pink, DC Anti-war Network, After Downing Street, FIST (Fight Imperialism Stand Together) and the SDS were among the organizations that came to the Encampment on the first day to voice their demand that the Congress defund the war.

In our 4 p.m. press conference Larry Holmes, Vietnam War Veteran and Dustin Langley a Veteran of the U.S. Navy took questions from the press. They addressed the Democrats’ “solution” to the 4 year slaughter in Iraq. Bringing the troops home in 2008 after another 18 months of death and misery is not an anti-war vote. It is in every respect a vote for more war. Holmes and Langley told the press that the Democrats' claim to support the troops by funding more war is ludicrous on it’s face and everyone in this country an around the world knows it. Their claim that they must continue the war to save Iraqis from themselves is an ultimate insult against the people of Iraq and against the intelligence of any thinking, honest person. The claim that their hands are tied, leaving them powerless to end the war now is a lie. If congress were truly against the war, they have the power to shut the government down if necessary to stop the bloodshed. People are camped out on the Washington Mall tonight to declare that we will not tolerate any more obfuscation, deceit and rhetoric. The genocide being visited upon the people of Iraq must stop – not in 2008 – but now.

http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_24093.shtml

[CrazyOrangeCat]

1. k&r

for patriots.

[EstimatedProphet]

2. K&R - Would that I could be there

[FtWayneBlue]

3. I am there in spirit,

AND I AM TAKING A BUSLOAD TO THE MARCH ON THE PENTAGON!

YEAAA!!!

[Jcrowley]

4. Headin' to DC

on Friday and plan to stay for a few days. see ya' there.

:hi:

[ClayZ]

5. If wishes were fishes I would be in DC! K and R

We will be in Seattle in Solidarity!

[orleans]

6. thanks for posting this. i hadn't heard about it.. n/t

[Jcrowley]

8. Start one in your town

Heck yeah anyone can do it.

[nam78_two]

7. K&R.nt

[Jcrowley]

9. Kick

on Day Two

[Purveyor]

10. K&R - thank you for posting.

[Breeze54]

11. Thank You Jcrowley! I've been trying to find this post!

:kick: & Recommended!


Listing 4th Anniversary of Iraq War Event(s)

http://www.unitedforpeace.org/calendar.php?sortby=&caltype=51

505 Events now listed, up from 490 since yesterday! :woohoo: