[Peace-discuss] Chicago, Cook County Suburbs, IL Towns, Vote Overwhelmingly vs War Nov.7

[Robert Naiman]

 > FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 >
 > Contact: Carl Davidson - CAWI (312) 415-2499; card717 at aol.com
 > Wick Swanton - MK Communications (312) 822-0505; wswanton at mkcpr.com
 >
 > ANTIWAR REFERENDUM PASSES BY OVERWHELMING MAJORITIES
 > IN CHICAGO, COOK COUNTY SUBURBS AND SEVERAL ILLINOIS CITIES
 >
 > CHICAGO (Nov 8, 2006) - Huge numbers of voters across the state of Ilinois,
 > wherever antiwar referendums appeared on the ballot, voted to stop
the war and
 > 'immediately begin an orderly and rapid withdawal.'
 >
 > At midnight, in the City of Chicago, with 75 percent of precincts reporting,
 > the margin was 80 percent to 20 percent--338,000 'Yes' and 84,000 'No'. The
 > tallies were similar thoughout suburban Cook County, where towns
like Evanston
 > and Oak Park had the measure on the ballot as well
 >
 > 'Countywide Public Policy Referenda #3' is a non-binding referendum
on the war
 > which asks voters: "Shall the United States Government immediately begin an
 > orderly and rapid withdrawal of all its military personnel from Iraq,
 > beginning with the National Guard and Reserves?" The ballot measure, which
 > mirrors similar resolutions passed by more than 100 city councils nationwide,
 > including the Chicago City Council, as well as the AFL-CIO, is non-binding,
 > meaning a "yes" vote is simply the decision of the voter to show
their support
 > for a stop-the-war stand.
 >
 > The placement of the referendum on the War in Iraq on the Cook County ballot
 > is the work of Chicagoans Against War and Injustice (CAWI), its citywide
 > network of neighborhood affiliates and allied peace groups.  CAWI has been
 > mobilizing against Bush's Iraqi misadventure since its first demonstration in
 > October 2002, Also joining their effort were dozens of suburban anti-war
 > groups that are part of the Illinois Coalition for Peace and
Justice (ILCPJ) .
 >
 > Other outstate cities had similar outcomes:
 >
 > DeKalb-yes 58%
 > Geneva-Yes 52%
 > Aurora-Yes 58%
 > Riverside-Yes 62%
 > Downers Grove-Yes 55%
 > Champaign-58%
 > Urbana-65%
 > Whiteside 58%
 > Springfield 59%
 > Berwyn 70%
 > Oak Park 75%
 >
 > "Millions have demonstrated against the war, hundreds of towns and
cities have
 > passed resolutions against the war; now we have given about halfthe voters
 > across the state a chance to vote their opinion directly in this critical
 > national election," said Carl Davidson, Co-Chair of CAWI.  "Some say advisory
 > votes like this don't matter, but they actually matter a great deal in
 > expressing and shaping public opinion. This is only one action
among many, but
 > they all add up."
 >
 > "This sends a strong message to public officials--both Democrat and
 > Republican--who may have privately opposed or doubted Bush and the war, but
 > were concerned about popular support for a tougher antiwar stand,"  added
 > Marilyn Katz, who with Davidson and other activists initiated CAWI
in the fall
 > of 2002. "Now they know there is an insurgent antiwar majority out there, and
 > its time to speak and act for them forcefully and effectively."
 >
 > Since its founding, CAWI has organized dozens of peace rallies, forums and
 > voter drives enabling thousands of ordinary, everyday Chicagoans to speak out
 > against the Iraq War and other social injustices, as well as working with the
 > Chicago City Council and other councils throughout the nation to oppose the
 > war.
 >
 > The Illinois Coalition for Peace and Justice, founded in April 2006, is the
 > coming together of more than 90 justice, community, faith-based, student and
 > labor groups in Illinois.  Acting in a broad non-partisan alliance, ILCPJ
 > hopes to end US military actions and shift resources to social justice around
 > the world.
 >
 > For more information on the Illinois Coalition for Peace and Justice or the
 > November 7th resolution, please visit www.ilcpj.org

-- 
Robert Naiman
Just Foreign Policy
www.justforeignpolicy.org