[Peace-discuss] Refined P4P introductory flyer...

[Randall Cotton]

Following is a refined draft of a document intended to inform new and
prospective participants in the weekly Prospect for Peace (P4P)
demonstrations. It was first formed by Kim Kranich and posted to the
peace-discuss list. Next it was revised by Kim along with Carol Inskeep,
Ricky Baldwin and myself. A draft revision was passed out at the last AWARE
meeting and the resulting comments were taken into account to form this
draft. Please reply to me with any additional comments or suggestions. I
plan to have a couple hundred copies on hand this Saturday at P4P.

Thanks
R

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Welcome to AWARE's "Prospect for Peace" Nonviolent Demonstrations
Saturdays 2-4PM just north of I-74 on Prospect Avenue, Champaign

Thank you for joining us today.  Since the very beginning of the U.S.
administration's efforts to mount an invasion of Iraq, Champaign-Urbana's
AWARE (the Anti-War, Anti-Racism Effort) has organized street demonstrations
in opposition. Our demonstrations are intended to engage passersby and
drivers in thoughtful and respectful dialogue about why we oppose war
against Iraq and are trying to stop President Bush's new doctrine of
"preventive" war.

We have met with Champaign police and have agreed to ground rules that
protect our Constitutional right to assemble and petition drivers with
leaflets as well as protect our safety and the safety of others.

We ask you to voluntarily respect the following suggested behavior while you
are participating in this peaceful demonstration.

1. Park your vehicle in one of the large parking lots near Lowe's and
Circuit City or somewhere else you normally shop. Note, however, that your
car will be ticketed and towed if you park in the Tires Plus parking lot.

2. Be peaceful and nonviolent in your actions and words. A demonstration
against aggression whose participants are aggressive defeats its own
purpose. A small percentage of passing drivers may respond to the
demonstration with insults or offensive gestures. It may be best to ignore
such responses entirely. Some choose to deflect such attacks with positive
responses (such as flashing a "thumbs-up" or shouting "I love you").
Returning insults or gestures or attempting to argue is probably
counterproductive and could lead to pointless conflict.

3. We are counting on people to be responsible about making signs and props
that are in keeping with the spirit of the protest, which is to educate and
appeal to a broad audience. If a sign is extreme or potentially offensive,
it could repel people who might otherwise be swayed by our demonstration or
who might otherwise be inspired to join us. But while we ask demonstrators
to give this serious thought when creating signs and props, we are generally
opposed to rules which censor content or stifle creativity.

4. Some of us will be leafleting according to agreements we've worked out
with the police in which one or two of us hand leaflets to people in the
lane of traffic closest to the sidewalk.  If you're interested in leafleting
too, please ask the person currently leafleting if you may have a go at it.
If you have a document of your own that you'd like to hand out as well, we
ask that you introduce it at the Sunday AWARE meeting (see below for meeting
details) prior to handing them out at a Saturday "Prospect for Peace" event.

5. For safety reasons, AWARE has agreed not to walk out onto or demonstrate
on the median strip or anywhere on the road surface (except in the act of
leafleting as described above). Doing so could result in police giving us a
warning and then a ticket if we, even one of us, remain in violation.

6. Though physical threats are rare, there have been two occasions since
anti-war demonstrations began in October 2001. In the first incident, a car
drove up onto the sidewalk (there was no contact or injury). In the second
incident, a driver got out of his truck and shoved a protestor. If any
violence occurs or threatens, please alert an organizer as soon as possible.
Also please remember to write down the license plate number and vehicle make
and model. Ask an organizer with a cell phone to call police dispatch
immediately (333-8911). Police have issued a citation for one driver
already.

Please join us for other AWARE activities as well.

* In the event that President Bush declares war against Iraq, we will gather
for a candlelight vigil at Westside Park (Church and Randolph Streets in
downtown Champaign) from 5-9pm. For questions the day of an attack, please
call 721-7224 for more information.
* AWARE meets Sundays from 5-7pm at the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media
Center, 218 W. Main Street, in Urbana.  344-8820. Join us!
* "No Iraq War" lawn signs are available for a $3 donation by calling Jeff
at 384-0945 or Carol at 344-9155.
* To sign up for AWARE's electronic mailing lists, please visit our web site
at: www.anti-war.net

Please spread the word and help us build a nonviolent resistance to war.

Thank You!
AWARE Organizers

This document last revised 2/27/2003 by REC
Direct comments on this document to recotton at earthlink.net