“2,000 U.S. DEATHS TOO MANY ~ GET THEM OUT NOW!”
INDIANA STATEWIDE END-THE-WAR RALLY
Saturday, October 29, 2005
1:00 pm
Vigo County Courthouse
33 South Third Street
Terre Haute, IndianaCitizens and activists from across Indiana will come together in Terre Haute on October 29, 2005 for an End-the-War Rally that will include speakers, inspiration, free literature, activist networking, and “take action”opportunities.
The gathering on the 29th continues the momentum and excitement that was generated during the weekend of September 24-26, when hundreds of Hoosiers came together in Washington, D.C. with nearly 300,000 others from across the country to demonstrate, lobby, and act for bringing U.S. troops home from Iraq and ending the war.
Nearly 2,000 U.S. troops have died in this war, and no end is in sight – daily, weekly, monthly, the number of U.S. soldiers killed and wounded in Iraq increases. As of October 13, 1,966 U.S. military personnel have been killed in action in Iraq and more than 14,900 U.S. soldiers have been wounded in action.
The Iraqi civilian death toll is in the tens of thousands. A minimum of 26,521 and upwards of more than 100,000 civilians in Iraq have been killed since the 2003 U.S. invasion.
U.S. citizens increasingly disapprove of the U.S. involvement in Iraq. 59% of the people would like to see the U.S. leave Iraq as soon as possible, even if Iraq is not completely stable, according to a nationwide CBS poll from October 3-5. The tide also appears to be turning in the U.S. House of Representatives. On May 25, 2005, 128 Congressional Representatives voted "Yes" to an amendment on the Defense Authorization Bill, calling for the development of a plan to withdraw troops from Iraq.
However, 7th District Congresswoman Julia Carson is the only Indiana Representative to show any support for measures to bring the troops home from Iraq. Senator Lugar and Senator Bayh have, so far, not supported the only initiative in the Senate, introduced by Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, to urge the United States to make a commitment to get combat troops out of Iraq by the end of 2006.
There are several legislative initiatives that have been introduced into the House of Representatives aimed at withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq. House Concurrent Resolution 35 (HCR 35) was the first of these resolutions, introduced on January 26, 2005 by California Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey. HCR 35 currently has 34 co-sponsors, none of them from Indiana. The other legislation includes House Joint Resolution 55 (the “Homeward Bound” bill), House Concurrent Resolution 197 (No Permanent Bases in Iraq), and House Resolution 3142 (calling for no long-term or permanent U.S. military presence in Iraq), all introduced in June 2005.
Anti-war and peace activists from across the state hope that the End-the-War Rally on October 29 will serve to advance a number of goals.
Because of the revitalized spirit and energy engendered by the participation of hundreds of Hoosiers at the September D.C. Mobilization to End the War on Iraq, Indiana activists desired to come together in their home state to reestablish unified efforts, recommit themselves, and draw others into the serious work of ending the war and occupation in Iraq.
The Rally will also serve as an opportunity for people from different parts of Indiana to be together to remember and memorialize the nearly 2,000 U.S. soldiers and the tens of thousands of Iraqis who have been killed since March 19, 2003.
Speakers from a number of Indiana Peace organizations, as well as parents of U.S. soldiers from Terre Haute, will be featured at the Rally.
Organizers of the Terre Haute gathering are planning a community action component designed to encourage Indiana Representatives and Senators to take a strong stand for swift withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Iraq by supporting legislation that would initiate a real exit strategy.
Participants of the rally will be encouraged to gather signatures in support of HCR 35 throughout Terre Haute. In the coming month, the completed petitions will be presented to Indiana Congressional Representatives and Senators in the hope of persuading them to co-sponsor “out of Iraq” legislation.
The Indiana Statewide End-the-War Rally will take place on Saturday, October 29 beginning at 1:00 pm at the Vigo County Courthouse at 33 South Third Street in Terre Haute, Indiana.
The Rally is being organized by activists and organizers with the Indiana Peace and Justice Network, Bloomington Peace Action Coalition, Terre Haute Stop War on Iraq, and the Northwest Indiana Coalition Against the Iraq War.
*******
Ride sharing is being organized from many parts of Indiana. Contact should be made to the following regional representatives:
Indianapolis --
Contact: Julie Fernat at
[email protected], phone: (317) 816-9112
Bloomington --
Contact: Timothy Baer at
[email protected], phone: (812) 988 –1917
Northwest Indiana --
Contact: Nick Egnatz at
[email protected], phone: (219) 838-0807
Lafayette --
Contact: Sheila Rosenthal at
[email protected], phone: (765) 463-4705
Terre Haute
Contact: Cathy McGuire at
[email protected], phone: (812) 235-8351
*******
Please use the following links for more information:
Sept. 24-26 D.C. Mobilization: News Coverage, Photos, Stories, Assessments
http://www.bpac.info/primaryfiles/DCMobilizReports&Photos.htmlIraqi civilian deaths
http://www.iraqbodycount.net/U.S. and Coalition forces casualties
http://icasualties.org/oif/House Concurrent Resolution 35
http://woolsey.house.gov/Hottopicssoldiers.asp?ARTICLE4764=4772Talking Points: “Stay the Course” or Get Out Now?
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/downloads/Talking_pts_cong_ed_day.doc ***********
Contact: Timothy Baer
Organizer,
Bloomington Peace Action Coalition
Indiana Peace and Justice Network
(812) 988-1917
[email protected]http://www.BPAC.info
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