<div class="gmail_quote"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-large;"></span>Friends,<br><br>This weeks marks the seventh anniversary of the Iraq War, and an opportunity to protest the escalation of the Afghan war as well. Activists are holding a number of events to organize resistance to endless war. Please come to these events, and see below for details:<br>
<br>1. Tomorrow (Tu.): <b>Vets & Activists Speak out against War & Occupation!</b><br>2. Thursday, March 18: <b>PROTEST: End the Occupations Now!</b><br>3. Saturday, March 20:<b> Protest War Criminal Karl Rove's Appearance in Champaign-Urbana!</b><br>
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-large;"></span>_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________<br>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial;"><font size="4"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><font size="4"><b>Vets
& Activists Speak out against War & Occupation</b></font></span></font></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial;"><font size="4">Tuesday, March 16, 7 PM</font></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial;"><font size="4">Greg 307</font></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial;">Featuring:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial;"><b>*Jake
Crawford, Iraq Veterans Against the War</b></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial;"><b>*Eric
Ruder, Reporter for <a href="http://socialistworker.org/" target="_blank"><font color="#0068cf">socialistworker.org</font></a></b> <br></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br>
</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial;">Seven
years ago, the US invaded Iraq -- a war that continues with no end in
sight. In December, President Obama began to escalate the war in
Afghanistan, sending 30,000 additional troops -- when only 100 Al Qaeda
members remain in that country. Scheduled Iraq troop withdrawals still
leave thousands of contractors and mercenaries behind as occupiers. In
the face of a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the US continues to finance
Israel’s war on Palestine.</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial;">Now, the
Obama administration has introduced a budget that includes the largest
amount for “defense” spending ever -- while freezing domestic spending
for human needs. There is no health care bill, no action on climate
change. All Washington can agree on is to feed our tax money to big
banks and <span>an endless war</span>. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial;">Vets,
activists and ordinary people from the U.S. to Afghanistan all will be
needed to put a stop to endless war and occupation. Come hear from local
veterans and activists. Discuss what's behind the U.S.'s strategy in
Central Asia and the Middle East, and how we can end the wars, and
transform a system that breeds them.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial;">Sponsored
by the International Socialist Organization. Contact <a href="mailto:iso.champaign@gmail.com" target="_blank">iso.champaign@gmail.com</a> for
more info.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial;">____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________<br>
</span></p><span style="font-size: xx-large;"><br></span><span style="font-size: xx-large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: xx-large;">7
Years in Iraq</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-large;">8
1/2 Years in Afghanistan</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-large;">62
Years in Palestine</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-large;">END THE OCCUPATIONS NOW!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Protest
the Occupations this Thursday at 5PM at the Alma Mater near the Corner
of Wright and Green Streets.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div><div style="text-align: left;">After 7 years in Iraq and 8 1/2
years in Afghanistan, the false justifications keep coming: for sending
30,000 more troops to Afghanistan to add to the 70,000 already there,
for keeping 50,000 to 100,000 troops in Iraq, as well as equally
exorbitant numbers of private contractors in both countries. Likewise,
the justifications for the Israeli occupation of Palestine hold no
water, as many people have continued to show their outrage after last
winter's Operation Cast Lead, and their support for the Palestinian
people through Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions campaigns here at home
and Aid Convoys to Gaza.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">As we know, the realities are far
different from the justifications. The reality is that the people of
Iraq and Afghanistan want the US and NATO out, so that they can rebuild
their own countries and governments without military intervention.
Likewise, the people of Palestine want democracy and they want their
rights as equal citizens of the world. Let's protest to show that we
want what they want.</div><br>Sponsors include Anti-War and Anti-Racist Effort (AWARE), the Campus Anti-War Network, EQuality C-U, the International Socialist Organization, and Iraq Veterans Against the War.<br><br>For more information, call 217-621-9455 or email <a href="mailto:japhillippe@gmail.com" target="_blank">japhillippe@gmail.com</a>.<br>
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________<br><br><font face="Cooper Black" size="7"> FAMILY VALUES </font>
<div><div>
<p align="center"><font face="Arial Black" size="6"><b>NOT </b></font></p>
<p align="center"><font face="Marker Felt" size="7"><i>CORPORATE GREED</i></font></p>
<p align="center"><font face="Rockwell Extra Bold" size="7">RALLY</font></p>
<p align="center"><font face="Optima ExtraBlack" size="7">LIVING WAGE
JOBS</font></p>
<p align="center"><font face="Optima ExtraBlack" size="7">HEALTH
CARE PEACE</font></p>
<p align="center"><font face="Optima ExtraBlack" size="7">STOP BUDGET
CUTS</font> <br></p>
<ul><p><font face="Wingdings" size="6">l</font><font face="Optima
ExtraBlack" size="6">
March 20<sup>th</sup> (Saturday)</font></p></ul>
<ul><p><font face="Wingdings" size="6">l</font><font face="Optima
ExtraBlack" size="6">
10:30am - Noon</font></p></ul>
<ul><p><font face="Wingdings" size="6">l</font><font face="Optima
ExtraBlack" size="6">
I Hotel & Conference Center</font></p></ul>
<ul><p> <font face="Optima ExtraBlack" size="4">(1900
South First Street, Champaign – directly</font></p></ul>
<ul><p> <font face="Optima ExtraBlack" size="4">
South of the Illini Assembly Hall/parking)</font> <br></p></ul>
<p align="center"><font face="Baskerville Old Face" size="4">On March
20<sup>th</sup>, Karl Rove will join Illinois political figures
attending
the Lincolin Day Luncheon for the Champaign County GOP. For the
past 14 months opponents of fairness have been waging a mean-spirited,
divisive and right out lying campaign on how pro-family health care
reforms, jobs and other measures would affect our county. Saying
NO and defending the financial interests of the insurance industry,
Wall Street and other corporate interests are NOT family values. </font> <br>
</p>
<p align="center"><font face="Baskerville Old Face" size="4">Speakers
will include statewide and local leaders representing these issues</font> <br>
</p>
<p><font face="Baskerville Old Face" size="4"><b>Visual Action:</b>
Please bring a pair of old shoes to symbolize “walk in my shoes”
that we plan to present to them. Right a note and place it in
the shoe about the need for health care reform, strong jobs bills,
opposition
to budget cuts, etc. This note can be about your situation, a
friend or a comment in general. </font></p></div></div><br>
</div><br>
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