[Peace] We Shall Not Be Moved - Join Us

[Ricky Baldwin]

We Shall Not Be Moved -- Join Us!
[Please Forward Widely]

Prospect for Peace – Week 26
Sat., April 5, 2003
2-4 PM
N Prospect & Marketview
Champaign

Calling all peaceful people to join in a peaceful
demonstration for peace and justice for the people of
Iraq!  Despite the threats and insults, despite the
accusations of treason, despite the fear and ignorance
we have seen displayed, despite the recent
business-backed pro-war counter-demonstrations,
despite having our cars towed, despite the vandalism
of our cars and homes and theft of our yard signs in
the middle of the night, despite the media
distortions, despite the betrayal by our elected
representatives and wrongful citations by the police,
hundreds of area residents have refused to be
intimidated or turned away.  

In fact, what was a small group of “usual suspects” in
October and November, averaging 30-50 protesters each
week, has now become a local fixture regularly drawing
150-250 participants (sometimes over 300!) – including
at least 20-30 ‘first-timers’ each week.  These folks
are black and white, foreign and native-born,
academics, workers, unemployed, parents and children,
many of whom have never protested anything in their
lives.  Many say they saw us protesting and they just
had to join.  Sometimes they pulled over and joined
immediately.  Some say they had been meaning to come
out for weeks before they finally made it.  Some, no
doubt, feel safer joining a group of 200-plus than
joining a vulnerable handful.

Through all this, we have maintained the moral high
ground (and avoided a really bad press hit) by largely
refusing to respond in kind when some misguided folks
yell at us, call us traitors, or threaten us.  It has
been challenging, and we have made mistakes. 
Individually or in small groups, we have barked back
when provoked.  This is to be expected.  But as a
group we have remained focused on our objective of
promoting our message of peace and justice, and
welcoming any and all who would like to stand with us,
however we may have disagreed about the best way to
accomplish this.  But our job is far from over.  Iraq
faces a humanitarian catastrophe soon and a long
occupation after that.  Other countries – Syria and
Iran among them - may face the same if we falter.

SO… PLEASE JOIN US THIS SATURDAY (OR AT LEAST NEXT
SATURDAY); BE COOL; STAY FOCUSED; AND SHOW THE WORLD
THAT WE ARE NOT GIVING UP OUR FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS, OUR
COUNTRY, OR OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY TO ILLEGAL, IMMORAL
AND STUPID WARS!

Thanks in advance.

[P.S. Next week is a national mobilization.]


__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Tax Center - File online, calculators, forms, and more
http://tax.yahoo.com