United for Peace and Justice Report on the Sept 24-26 DC Antiwar Mobilization
ACTION ALERT Message from UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE October 3, 2005
www.unitedforpeace.org |
212-868-5545
What an amazing three days it was!
The Sept. 24 - 26th actions in Washington, DC offered a broad cross section of
people many ways to express their opposition to the war on Iraq. The
mobilization turned up the heat on the Bush administration and Congress while
making connections between the war and other pressing issues of the day. We are
proud to report on the tremendous success of these three days. As we return to
organizing in our communities, schools, religious centers, and workplaces, our
movement is stronger. Hundreds of thousands of people are re-energized for the
work ahead, and Congress and the White House now recognize our movement as a
force to reckon with.
The events and activities that took place these three days could not have
happened without the direct involvement of scores of UFPJ member groups and
hundreds of volunteers. If you helped get the word out, sold bus tickets,
organized or participated in a contingent, helped plan any of the activities,
distributed posters or leaflets, or made a financial contribution, then you
helped to make history! Thank you, to each and every one who helped bring this
ambitious three day program to life!
In the report below we have tried to capture some of the spirit and energy of
the Sept. 24 - 26th antiwar mobilization organized by United for Peace and
Justice. This is only a snap shot of what happened during these 3 days and we
hope to bring you more detailed reports in the coming weeks. To see photos from
these days, visit
http://dianelent.com/s24mobe1.htm
On Saturday, Sept. 24th hundreds of thousands of people - our estimate is at
least 300,000 - marched in front of the White House and through the streets of
Washington, DC in a powerful, unified statement of opposition to the war in Iraq
and for justice for the people of the Gulf Coast. The call was clear: it is time
to end this war and to bring the troops home! People poured into the nation's
capital from every corner of the country, from all walks of life and many
different communities. As impressive as the numbers were, the creativity and
commitment of this massive number of people was what made the day so energizing.
The day began with a rally on the Ellipse, with the White House in the backdrop.
Some of the speakers included: Rep. Cynthia McKinney, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Cindy
Sheehan, Curtis Muhammad (organizer from New Orleans), UFPJ National Coordinator
Leslie Cagan, and Damu Smith from Black Voices for Peace. But the crowds out on
the streets were so large that most people never made it to the Ellipse. By
12:30 people were in motion, determined to have their voices heard. And for the
next four and a half hours the march unfolded with contingents of military
families and veterans, labor, students, religious communities, women, people of
color groups, counter-recruitment activists, the nuclear disarmament movement,
the lgbt/queer community, seniors, professional organization, state-wide
delegations, and so many more all marching to end the war on Iraq. United for
Peace and Justice and other coalitions and organizations had distributed many
signs and posters, but people's home made signs !
told the world where they had come from and what they felt most deeply. The
streets of Washington are wide (we marched on roads that were 6 or 8 lanes) and
there was hardly a gap as this incredible sea of humanity carried its message of
peace and justice.
By the time the march took off, the two day Peace and Justice Festival organized
by UFPJ was already up and running on the Washington Monument grounds.
Throughout the weekend, thousands of people visited the 17 tents we had set up
where groups working on common issues offered information, interactive displays,
ways to get involved, and much more. More than 150 member groups of UFPJ
participated in the booths covering a range of issues: Iraq,
Counter-Recruitment, The Wars at Home, Real Support for the Troops, Global
Justice, Legislative Action, Clergy and Laity Concerned About Iraq, Palestine,
Nuclear Abolition, Stop Global Warming, Preventing the Next War, Local Costs of
War, Youth and Students, and Grassroots Organizing (UFPJ Member Groups).
At 2:30 the Operation Ceasefire concert kicked off at the Washington Monument
grounds. This amazing event included performances by Joan Baez, the Machetres,
Living Things, Wayne Kramer and the Bellrays, Steve Earle, The Coup, Sweet Honey
in the Rock, The Evens, Ted Leo + Pharmacists, Head Roc, Thievery Corporation,
Bouncing Souls, Le Tigre, and Fort Knox Five DJ Set. Interspersed between the
music were dynamic speeches by Julian Bond, Rev. Al Sharpton, Representatives
Maxine Waters, Lynn Woolsey, Barbara Lee and Raul Grijalva, Ann Wright, Jim
Hightower, Medea Benjamin, representatives of Military Families Speak Out, Gold
Star Families for Peace, and others. One of the high points of the event - which
went to 1:30 in the morning with 40,000 still in attendance - was when Etan
Thomas, the professional basketball player with the Washington Wizards, read his
poetry and brought it all together.
On Sunday, Sept. 25th smaller but vitally important events took place. The Peace
and Justice Festival continued throughout the day, and trainings for both the
day of Congressional Lobbying and the Nonviolent Civil Disobedience action at
the White House took place. In addition, the Sylvan Theatre on the Washington
Monument grounds was used for a day-long concert and the Counter-Recruitment
Working Group of UFPJ had an afternoon gathering that brought together people
from around the country doing this work. The day closed out with what has been
described as the one of the most moving Interfaith Religious Services people had
ever been to. Using several of the tents that had been set up for the Peace and
Justice Festival, and building on the practice of tent revivals, leaders from
major religious traditions were joined by upwards of 500 people in articulating
an ethical critique of the war. Clergy and Laity Concerned about Iraq (which is
housed within UFPJ) organized this inspir!
ing gathering.
On Monday, Sept. 26th two events unfolded throughout the day: the Congressional
Lobby Day on Capital Hill and the Nonviolent Civil Disobedience action at the
White House. Organized by working groups of UFPJ, the success of these two
events represented significant growth for our coalition.
The Lobby Day took our antiwar message to the halls of Congress, where at least
800 (and possibly as many as 1000) people representing more than 40 states met
with the offices of over 300 senators and representatives in the largest-ever
pro-peace lobby day. We urged our representatives to take every action to stop
this war, cut off funding for the occupation, support existing legislation that
moves towards bringing the troops home, stop building permanent bases in Iraq,
provides funds as compensation for the damage caused by the war, and forbid
schools from sharing student information with military recruiters without
parental permission. The September 26 Lobby Day was just the beginning of our
efforts to create a coordinated grassroots legislative action network to
increase the pressure on Congress to stop funding the war and to bring the
troops home now! The lobby visits should continue so visit
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=3074 to download UFPJ's
legislativ!
e priorities, our legislative asks and talking points.
The civil resistance action at the White House drew over 1,000 people with
upwards of 400 people risking arrest. A small delegation that included religious
leaders and Gold Star families approached the gate to the White House on
Pennsylvania Avenue and asked to meet with the president. As was expected, they
were denied such a meeting and they proceeded to sit on the sidewalk in front of
the White House, soon to be joined by the others. It took some time, but by late
afternoon over 370 people had been arrested in what is probably one of the
largest civil resistance actions ever carried out at the White House. This work
will also continue and plans for other activities around the country will be
announced in the coming weeks.
In the coming days and weeks we will be sharing more details about what happened
and certainly new ideas about where we go from here. But in the meantime, we
hope those of you were in Washington, DC will share your experiences with others
who couldn't make it. The energy we felt in the streets for those three days
needs to be carried out to every corner of this country – and you are the people
to make that happen.
We also hope you will continue to generously lend your financial support to
United for Peace and Justice. Our work is far from over and we need your support
as much as ever before! Thanks for whatever you can do!!
ACTION ALERT * UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE
www.unitedforpeace.org | 212-868-5545