No More Death, No More Murder, Don't Defend the Corporatocracy!

Our corporate masters have given us a day off to commemorate the men and women who have sacrificed their lives to protect their greed. But it’s up to us how we will use our “free” time. Here are a few suggestions of something positive to do, beyond the Barbie-Que and drinking to forget the crimes of our inheritance:


Apparently the Senate doesn't think there are enough fallen soldiers to honor this Memorial Day, so they have passed a funding bill to extend the Iraq war and occupation past Memorial Day 2009. And were they even thinking of the potentially thousands of Iraqis who will die? To add to the moral repugnance of the Senate's actions, they have tied important programs including GI and unemployment benefits to the Iraq funding bill. Vets can get college tuition, but they'll need to spend another year in Iraq first. See below for details on the Senate bill and to find out how your senators voted.
Are you as outraged as we are?
But we can't give up the fight just yet. The Senate bill will go back to the House of Representatives for a vote in the beginning of June. Before they vote though, members of Congress will be coming home for their week-long Memorial Day recess. That means they will be at parades, picnics, campaign events and in their offices. They must hear from you -- loud or silent, rude or polite, funny or solemn, in print, on the phone or in person. [my bold] There are many ways to convey one message: Stop funding the war, bring all our troops home now! Use as many of them as you can!
Please check the UFPJ calendar to see if there are any Memorial Day Peace events near you (and make sure your event is listed if you are organizing one).
Click here to find out who your representative is and the locations and phone numbers of their local offices.
Let us know how you contacted your representative -- phone, email, fax, in-person, etc. -- who you reached, what you said, and what the response was.
Additional Resources from UFPJ and UFPJ member groups:
CodePink Memorial Day Action Guide
"Why We're Against the War," from Iraq Veterans Against the War
Legislative information from UFPJ
Local cost of war info from the National Priorities Project
Talking points for grassroots lobbyists from Peace Action
Open letter to Congress from Military Families Speak Out
"Healing the Wounds of War" from AFSC
Background Details
The Senate voted today, May 22, on three separate amendments:
The first vote produced a surprise outcome. It was an amendment approving billions in funding for a broad array of domestic programs, including increases in GI education funding, extension of unemployment benefits, levee construction in New Orleans, and a plethora of other good works. The amendment passed by a vote of 75-22.
The second vote was on Iraq war policies, including a withdrawal timeline, troop readiness requirements, no permanent bases and no toture. This amendment failed on a vote of 34-63.
The final vote was on $165.4 billion to fund the wars/occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan through next summer. This amendment passed on a vote of 70-26.
The Senate version of the bill (including the war funding and the domestic funding) will go back to the House for a vote after the Memorial Day recess. Last week, the House voted on three amendments similar to the amendments in the Senate. It defeated the war funding amendment and passed only the war policies and domestic programs.
How did your representative vote?
On the Iraq war policies amendment
On the domestic programs amendment
On the $166 billion Iraq war funding amendment
Yours, for peace and justice,UFPJ Legislative Working Group

Help us continue to do this critical work:

Make a donation to UFPJ today.
UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE

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PS--Check out UFPJ's very provocative and timely t-shirts on sale and let your people know. We Will NOT Be Silent! Bring them home, NOW!

Berkeley Anti-Recruitment Report

Sent in by World Can't Wait:
Demonstration to Shut Down Marine Recruiting, February 12 2008
Tuesday night, February 12, the Berkeley City Council voted not to send a letter to the Marine Corps telling them their new recruiters, near Berkeley High School, "is not welcome in the city, and if recruiters choose to stay, they do so as uninvited and unwelcome intruders." The Council had received 24,000 messages, reportedly mostly favorable to their stand, but also a great storm of protest on right-wing blogs. Republican politicians in California, and US Senators threatened to take away funds for education and transportation projects in Berkeley, and vilified the Council for being against the war. The Council refused to apologize to the Marines, however, and reaffirmed its stand against the Iraq war and occupation.
Protest started Monday in Berkeley with an overnight vigil supporting the Council's stand in front of City Hall. World Can't Wait activists described the scene as "cool. Activists from Code Pink and World Can't Wait, were singing, making banners, talking all night." There was some good controversy about how to talk about the troops over a banner that the Revolution Club made, saying, "What are they recruiting for? Murder? Rape? Torture?" A theme all day was whether the US military is committing war crimes, while World Can't Wait held photos showing atrocities at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo.
At 5am Tuesday, pro-war protesters called Move America Forward began arriving. They were pushing and shoving, and the police separated the anti and pro-war sides with MLK Drive. The pro-war group, numbering in the dozens during the day, covered a location that skateboarders regularly use. Media reports that the kids were harassing the pro-war group only because they were pushed out are contradicted by World Can't Wait activists who say the skateboarders argued with them over politics.
A 10:30 am press conference organized by Code Pink featured Medea Benjamin of Code Pink, Giovanni Jackson from World Can't Wait, Ann Wright, and an Army veteran recently released from active duty.
A core of Berkeley High School students were involved in the anti-war protests all day. They texted friends inside the school, and at lunch, a "wave" of 700 students poured out of the school and flowed in a noisy wave over to the anti-war group. There they got signs, t shirts and, because someone made a donation on the spot, hundreds of orange bandanas were given out.
A high school administrator told the students they were being "used" by the protesters, which led the students to get on the bullhorn and speak with great intensity about why they were joining the protest. An immoral war and torture are in their future if it's not stopped. But organizers also heard from Berkeley HS teachers who supported the antiwar protest, who had already led discussions with their students. Teachers from an art school nearby sent their students to sketch the scene.
The students went over to the pro-war group, and there was a political confrontation between the red/white/blue flag waving, medal-wearing older crowd, and the high school kids who asked how they could defend the war. Arguments broke out all over. The Berkeley police came out in riot gear, their backs to the pro-war crowd, telling the students to back off. The police used their batons to move the students back, and they slowly stepped backward, but did not turn and leave or scatter. Suddenly, they "died" to represent the million+ Iraqis killed in the occupation.
World Can't Wait activists report the police were rough. One person got a broken rib; another a broken finger. Kids were dragged out of larger groups by police. Many students stayed out of school for the afternoon. Two boys aged 13 and 15 were arrested, and by late afternoon a group of 300 gathered in front on the police station to demand the kids' release. More riot police fronted the building and violently cleared the steps with batons, arresting an 18 year old woman who was arguing for the release of her brother. As older antiwar activists arrived after the work day, a rally formed in front of the police station. They chanted "This is what a police state looks like!"
The students were released on Tuesday.
For Move America Forward’s interpretation of today’s events, go here:
Berkeley Code Pink Out-Gunned By Move America Forward Pro-Troop Supportershttp://www.pipelinenews.org/index.cfm?page=berkeley2.12.08.htm

Arcata, CA Protects It's Youth from Lying Recruiters

Berkeley, CA has been under siege since the right wingnuts decided they’d be “true patriots” by intimidating, shouting, generally abusing anyone who disagrees with their point of view. The right of the people of Berkeley to self-determination is fiercely being fought. It makes me proud!

Can Your Town Ban the Military from Recruiting Anyone Under 18?
By David Swanson
February 05, 2008
Of course, Americans must be 18 to serve in the military, but much of the military's recruiting work is directed at those who have not yet turned 18.
According to Dave Meserve in Arcata, Calif., localities can avoid the consequences of the No Child Left Behind law (which turns students' names and contact information over to recruiters) not only by helping students and parents to opt out of recruitment lists or by challenging the ability of recruiters to be on school campuses, but also by prohibiting any recruiting activities that involve kids under 18.
Meserve has drafted an ordinance and submitted it to the city clerk and the city attorney in Arcata. They will have 15 days to review it and provide a title and ballot summary for the November 2008 ballot. Then Meserve can begin gathering signatures to get it on the ballot.
Why not do the same thing in your town or major city? Here's the draft ordinance:

ARCATA YOUTH PROTECTION ACT
AN ORDINANCE TO PROHIBIT THE MILITARY RECRUITMENT OF

ANY PERSON UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN

To protect the welfare of our youth, the People of Arcata Ordain as Follows:
No person who is employed by or an agent of the United States government shall, within the City of Arcata, in the execution of his or her job duties, recruit, initiate contact with for the purpose of recruiting, or promote the future enlistment of any person under the age of eighteen into any branch of the United States Armed Forces.

Get 'Em While They're Young!

Military training program for teens expands in US
by Mira Oberman Sun Nov 25, 6:17 PM ET
CHICAGO (AFP) - Dozens of teens dressed in uniforms provided by the US Marines stand at attention in the gym of a Chicago public high school as a drill sergeant goes through a list of the day's do's and don'ts. […] One in 10 public high school students in Chicago wears a military uniform to school and takes classes -- including how to shoot a gun properly -- from retired veterans.
[…] Proponents of the junior reserve programs say they provide stability and a sense of purpose for troubled youth and help to instill values such as leadership and responsibility.
But opponents say the programs divert critical resources from crumbling public schools and lead to a militarization of US society.
"To call these young people child soldiers might be technically inaccurate, but it does reveal the truth of it," said Oscar Castro, a spokesman for the National Youth and Militarism Program, an advocacy group.
Military recruiters already have the right to give presentations in public schools and to access databases with the contact information of all public school students whose parents do not remove their children from the list.
But they don't have nearly the same impact as daily interaction with teachers and students in uniform, Castro said.
While military officials say the junior reserve programs are not used as recruiting tools, about 30 to 50 percent of cadets eventually enlist, according to congressional testimony by the chiefs of staff of the various armed services in February 2000.
This is particularly troubling given that the programs are concentrated in low-income and minority neighborhoods, said Sheena Gibbs, a spokeswoman for the Chicago branch of the American Friends Service Committee which lobbies against the programs.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071125/ts_alt_afp/usmilitaryeducation_071125231723;_ylt=Asxr0LQmInJdiivnwVRcw15H2ocA

Candles Burn for Peace in East Harlem

A candlelight vigil was held in front of the U.S. Army Recruiting Station in East Harlem this past Friday evening.

By K. Cyr, September 23, 2007

A candlelight vigil was held in front of the U.S. Army Recruiting Station in East Harlem this past Friday evening. Over 20 people gathered to share their experiences and grievances about the overwhelming presence of Army recruiters in Harlem and Washington Heights since US occupation in Iraq. The vigil was the first action in Harlem to demonstrate solidarity with the Iraq Moratorium, scheduled to take place on the third Friday of every month. Visit www.iraqmoratorium.com for more information of who is organizing across the nation.

http://nyc.indymedia.org/en/2007/09/91170.html