[Peace] AWARE on the Air tonight at ten, channel six

[C. G. Estabrook]

A vigorous discussion tonight of war and demonstrations then and now, with 
staccato notes of comic relief and reflections on the economy, ours and theirs; 
  killing by police and presidents is also featured.  And pig jokes.

AWARE ON THE AIR for the 4th week of October, 2009, is presented by members & 
friends of AWARE, the Anti-War Anti-Racism Effort of Champaign-Urbana, a local 
peace group.  Each Tuesday at 10pm on cable channel 6 we bring you an account of 
the USG's invasion & occupation of the Middle East, from Palestine to Pakistan 
-- and of the opposition to it, both locally and nationally, from American 
citizens like us who are appalled at the government's betrayal of our democratic 
principles.

TODAY IS OCTOBER 20 -- ON THIS DAY IN 1967 the biggest demonstration to date 
against the five-year-old American involvement in the Vietnam War has took place 
in Oakland, California.  Four thousand people demonstrated against the 
conscription of soldiers to serve in the war. A few days earlier, police in 
Oakland used clubs and chemical sprays to clear the streets.  The heavy-handed 
treatment of demonstrators caused outrage throughout the country. Today's 
demonstration was part of what is being called "Stop the Draft Week" - a 
nationwide initiative which has seen peace marches in cities across the United 
States.
	
More than a thousand registrants returned their draft cards in events across the 
country. The cards were delivered to the Justice Department on this day in 1967. 
  Many are burning the cards -- an illegal act under a law passed by Congress 
two years ago. About 50 conscientious objectors have already been sent to jail 
for their protest. It is estimated up to 7,000 have left the country, mainly to 
Canada, to avoid the draft.
	
The next day, October 21, 1967, a large demonstration took place at the Lincoln 
Memorial in Washington. As many as 100,000 demonstrators attended the event, and 
at least 30,000 later marched to the Pentagon for another rally and an all night 
vigil. Some, including Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin, attempted to "exorcise" 
and "levitate" the building, while others engaged in civil disobedience on the 
steps of the Pentagon, interrupted by clashes with soldiers and police. In all, 
647 arrests were made. When a plot to airdrop 10,000 flowers on the Pentagon was 
foiled by undercover agents, these flowers ended up being placed in the barrels 
of MP's rifles, as seen in some famous photographs. Norman Mailer documented the 
events surrounding the march on the Pentagon in his book, "Armies of the Night".
	
Three months later, in February of 1968, a Gallup poll showed 35% approved of 
the Democratic administration's handling of the war; 50% disapproved; in another 
poll that month, 23% of Americans defined themselves as "doves" and 61% "hawks". 
  President Johnson is under attack from those who believe he is not being 
aggressive enough on Vietnam as well as those who think he should withdraw.  A 
Gallup poll published earlier this month showed his popularity rating plummeting 
to the point where if an election were held at this point in his term of office, 
he would lose by a landslide.
	
In March 1968 President Johnson announced a pause in the bombing of North 
Vietnam to start negotiations for peace. At the same time, he announced he would 
not be standing for re-election as President.  Obama is said to be studying the 
Johnson administration; I for one hope he emulates it.

THE ANTI-WAR ANTI-RACISM CALENDAR for October 2009 -- recent and upcoming events 
on the local scene, taken from last Sunday's AWARE meeting (with thanks to 
Stuart Levy for the minutes):

*NOW UNTIL NEXT SUMMER -- "Peaceable Assembly Campaign."  The organization 
Voices for Creative Nonviolence is initiating a nationwide campaign to seek an 
end to the U.S. wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan and an end to U.S. 
support of the continued occupation of the Palestinian territories. Beginning in 
September, 2009, and continuing for the next ten months, we will engage in both 
legal and extralegal (nonviolent civil disobedience/civil resistance) lobbying 
efforts, urging Representatives and Senators to stop authorizing and funding 
wars and occupations.  For more information and resources see 
<www.peaceableassemblycampaign.org>, email <pac at vcnv.org>, or call 773-878-3815.

*Oct 17 (last Saturday) Peace Demonstrations Demand U.S. Pullout from 
Afghanistan -- in over 40 cities in US, sponsored by National Assembly to End 
the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars and Occupations. Marilyn Levin, a Boston peace 
activist and spokesperson for the National Assembly, said that support for the 
October 17 day of actions has soared since July, driven primarily by 
developments involving Afghanistan. "You hear a lot of talk these days about the 
President listening to the generals. We say it's high time that the President 
starts listening to the American people, who have turned decisively against 
continuation of the war and occupation. Eight years is more than enough and the 
people don't want another Vietnam!" Other demands voiced on October 17 included 
immediate withdrawal of all U.S. troops, military personnel, bases, contractors 
and mercenaries from Iraq and Pakistan; money for jobs, health care and housing, 
not wars and corporate bailouts; end U.S. support for the Israeli occupation of 
Palestine and end the siege of Gaza; U.S. hands off Iran and North Korea; end 
war crimes, including torture, and prosecute war criminals.

*Oct. 20 (earlier this evening)  Champaign City Council Meeting.  The Champaign 
City Council have said that they are the body responsible for overseeing the 
police.  The police killing of an unarmed 15-year-old black youth is not 
acceptable.  Call on the Council to act and remove the police responsible.

On Friday October 9, 2009, Kiwane Carrington and Jeshaun Manning-Carter, two 
unarmed 15-year-olds were accosted by Champaign officers - including the Chief 
of Police - at the place where Kiwane stayed.  Kiwane was shot and killed. 
Jeshaun was arrested, at first for burglary (charges since dropped), and then 
for felony aggravated resisting a peace officer, and was taken to jail. 
Something is fundamentally wrong with police procedure where a mistaken 
assumption about burglary leads to guns drawn, ransacking of a home, and killing 
of a young person -- with the Chief of Police present!

*Oct 21-24  (Wednesday-Saturday) 8pm at the Station Theatre on Broadway in 
Urbana: "My Name is Rachel Corrie".  On Thursday, Oct. 22nd, there will be a 
audience talk-back period after the show.  See letter by AWAREist David Green in 
today's News-Gazette.
	
A one-woman play based on the diaries of Rachel Corrie, who with other 
International Solidarity Movement workers had been putting her life on the line 
for human rights, standing up to Israeli bulldozers demolishing Palestinian 
homes, when she was killed by an armed Caterpillar bulldozer, driven by a member 
of the Israeli army of occupation, in 2003.

*Oct 21 (Wednesday) 7pm at the Channing-Murray Foundation, "The Least of These", 
a documentary film on immigrant children held in detention in former prisons, 
and how American rights and values apply to the least powerful of us...

*Oct 22 (Thursday) 4pm  at the IL Terminal, 5pm at the Boys and Girls Club: "No 
More Stolen Lives!"  Rally and speak-out in protest of police action in killing 
Kiwane Carrington and the pattern of abuse of power.  October 22nd is a national 
day of protest against police brutality.

*Oct 22 (Thursday) 7pm at the University YMCA, "Those Three", a 2007 film from 
Iran, by Nagji Nemati, in the Global Lens film series (Thursdays through 10/29) 
<http://universityymca.org/globallens2009/>. "Just one day from completing their 
military training, three conscripts desert their camp and escape into the frozen 
wilderness of Northern Iran."

*Oct 23 (Friday) noon Friday Forum at the University YMCA: “U.S. Climate Change 
Policy in the Obama Era: A Progress Report” by Ron Burke, Midwest Climate 
Campaign Director, Union of Concerned Scientists.  "Ron Burke reviews the status 
of climate legislation in Congress, including what current proposals would do 
and both the positive and negative aspects of current bills being discussed. 
Analysis will address the need to pass a bill immediately, the options if 
current proposals do not pass, and prospects for a new international treaty." 
Friday Forum talks are held weekly from noon to 1:30pm in Latzer Hall, 1001 S. 
Wright St., Champaign.

*Oct 24 (Saturday) 8am-noon AWARE's presence at the Urbana Farmers' Market -- 
literature, discussion,  & paraphernalia

*Oct 25 (Sunday) 2pm in the IMC Family Room (basement of the old Urbana post 
office -- for the steps leading downward from Elm Street, on the north side of 
the building.)  "Sir! No Sir!", a film on how resistance developed within the 
military against the Vietnam war, sponsored by the AWARE Films Working Group. 
It tells the long suppressed story of the GI movement to end the war in Vietnam. 
  Discussion and refreshments afterward.

*Oct 25 (Sunday) 5-6:30pm AWARE meeting in the basement of the  old post office, 
Urbana.  Visitors and new members are welcome.  If you're opposed to the war & 
want to know what you can do, join us & work on it together.  AWARE an 
independent political organization; we work with many other groups but are not 
directly affiliated with any.

*Nov 1 (Sunday) 2-4pm at the IMC main floor: opening of "When a Parent Is in 
Prison" exhibit, exploring the situation of children who have a parent in prison 
through their portraits and words, with photographs by Howard Zehr; the young 
people who are featured here are among the 2,400,000 children who have a mother 
or father in prison.  The exhibit runs Nov 1st through Nov 21st. "These children 
have committed no crime, but the price they are forced to pay is steep.  They 
forfeit, too, much of what matters to them: their homes, their safety, their 
public status and private self-image, their primary source of comfort and 
affection. Their lives are profoundly affected." ―Nell Bernstein, All Alone in 
the World.  Contact Conrad Wetzel <wetzel-rlc at live.com> 217-352-8603

	***

AWARE IS HAPPY to provide anti-war speakers and discussion leaders for local 
events.  See our website at <anti-war.net> or write <cge at shout.net>.

The program is presented by WAYNE JOHNSON, KAREN MEDINA, RON SZOKE, LINDA WEBER 
(& WILLIE), other members & friends of AWARE and Yr. Obdt. Servt., who wish you, 
in the words of the late Edward Murrow, “Good night and good luck.”  --CGE

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