[Peace-discuss] Fwd: [SRRTAC-L:10140] URGENT: Massive, international human shield being organized for Iraq

[Al Kagan]

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>From: Charles Willett <willett at liblib.com>
>Subject: [SRRTAC-L:10140] URGENT: Massive, international human 
>shield being organized
>   for Iraq
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>Charles Willett
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>Date: Sun, 16 Feb 2003 20:03:52 -0500
>Subject: [alachuagreens] Intersting Peace Action!
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>
>>BecomeTheChange is coordinating a massive, international human shield to
>>prevent the loss of life and spread of war and terrorism around the world
>>and to motivate nonviolent resolutions to the conflict we face with Iraq
>>at this time. We and the UK Society have made a strong alliance.
>>Approximately 20 other organizations around the world are forming shields
>>in Iraq. Among us all, we probably have at least 1,000 individuals from
>>around the world who are - right now - in Iraq or actively preparing to go
>>shortly to join the shield. And counting!! Thousands more are very
>>interested and likely to join. There might eventually be tens of thousands
>>of us. It's a spontaneous global phenomenon.
>>
>>   But we are of course afraid, and many potential shield members who are
>>  so excited by the idea are also very worried for their safety, and this
>>  fear  might prevent them from helping us to stop this war and save the
>>  hundreds of thousands of people who depend on such efforts as the human
>>  shield for their lives. If enough people answer to our call to join or
>>  support the shield, we will achieve our purpose of peace, and in a
>>  lasting way. The world is ready for this. I'm sure you have followed this
>>  crisis, and maybe recently the development of the human shield in
>>  response; maybe by now it's clear to you that we almost certainly will
>>  form a massive human shield, and it is already a force to be reckoned
>>  with. The question in my mind is not so much whether it will work, but
>>  how many of us will come back alive. 100%? 99%? 50%?...10%? The answer is
>>  as much up to you as it is to each of us.
>>
>>   We are asking the world community to step up to protect us as we step up
>>  to protect Iraq. Please help by spearheading (a big word, but not much
>>  time or effort is actually required) an initiative to make a global
>>  declaration (by various groups, like professional and academic
>>  associations, the Nobel Laureates that just signed the declaration
>>  against the war, itself, etc.) that neither the innocents of Iraq, nor
>>  their shield, are to be harmed.
>>
>>   Please consider using your very interesting and expansive contact list
>>  to  begin this initiative, and spread this message to every
>>  association,  society, journal, and national and local government you
>>  can. It will then  cultivate itself being emailed around through other
>>  concerned organizations. Once the declaration is written, it can be
>>  signed by thousands and delivered to the United States and British
>>  governments in a matter of days.
>>
>>   Such a simple action - such a powerful way to save lives.One of the
>>  best  things about nonviolence is the creative ingenuity that it
>>  motivates. This  is one example of the kind of nonviolent but *very
>>  effective* action that we need on the part of the world to stay the hands
>>  of those who would harm innocent people, including ourselves. Such
>>  reassurances as the international declaration/s that you can (so easily!)
>  > arrange will inspire many, many more to join the shield, feeling
>>  shielded, ourselves. I know you are aware that you are in a strong
>>  position to do so much, through so little effort, to make our shield
>>  work, ultimately preventing the war and saving the people of Iraq and
>>  their shield. I don't want to die in Iraq in the effort of saving lives.
>>  I especially don't want the shield to scatter because we start to suffer
>>  losses (though we must all remember that even the winning side loses
>>  people in any war) and then for our government to continue, unimpeded, in
>>  its violence. The situation might get out of hand, in any case, of
>>  course. There are a lot of uncertainties involved. But we need to act now
>>  while we still have the power to act at all, and the scarier things get,
>>  the more we must rally, stand together, and find a way to slow down and
>>  contain the dangerous runaway powers of our government at this time.  For
>>  more information, please visit
>>   www.BecomeTheChange.org <http://www.BecomeTheChange.org>,
>>   www.humanshields.org <http://www.humanshields.org>, and email
>>   info at becomethechange.org  <mailto:info at becomethechange.org>.
>>
>>   Please help get the shield back alive and help to assure that we achieve
>>  our purpose of peace.


-- 


Al Kagan
African Studies Bibliographer and Professor of Library Administration
Africana Unit, Room 328
University of Illinois Library
1408 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801, USA

tel. 217-333-6519
fax. 217-333-2214
e-mail. akagan at uiuc.edu