[Peace] demonstration *tomorrow*, 2-4pm Saturday, Main & Neil, downtown Champaign

[Stuart Levy]

Tomorrow is the first Saturday of the month, and AWARE will be out from 2 to 4
to demonstrate against war and imperialism -- please come stand with us,
even for a brief while!

We'll be in the usual place and time,

   2:00-4:00PM, Feb. 5th (first Saturday of the month)
   corner of Main and Neil streets, downtown Champaign

It looks as though we'll have flyers for several things --

    The "WarIsACrime.org" petition,
	calling for opposition to Obama's current war policies 
	and to Obama himself so long as he continues them,
	signed by many prominent peace activists; see
	http://warisacrime.org/primary

    The upcoming IVAW panel on PTSD and suicide in the military,
	on Feb 15th (6:30-8:30pm, room 223 Gregory Hall);

    
    and a flyer on war tax resistance and the huge role played by
	military spending (both past and present) in the US budget,
	http://www.warresisters.org/federalpiechart


    
And, let's also cheer on the people of Egypt for standing up
for their freedom against repression by their own government,
which the US has long steadfastly supported.  Medea Benjamin posted
an article today, from Cairo:

    http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/02/04-10

    [...being chased by a pro-Mubarak mob armed with rocks, pipes, etc....]
    
    They randomly attack people, including us foreigners.  Many of
    us have been beaten, our cameras smashed. My CODEPINK colleague Tighe
    Barry had been picked up on this very street two days ago, thrown into
    a car, roughed up, and later dumped out with a warning to stay way.

    Tighe refused to stay away, and so did a million Egyptians who,
    despite the threats of violence, teemed into Tahrir Square today in
    what was termed the "Day of Departure."  Young, old, rich, poor,
    religious, secular - they defied the desperate acts of a dying regime.

    Ever since this uprising began on January 25, the determination
    and bravery of the Egyptians has been overwhelming to witness. The
    democracy forces in Tahrir Square have braved tear gas, water cannons,
    rocks, sniper fire and mobs storming in on horses and camels.
    All the while, they have stood their ground and continued to hold
    on to this sacred square.

    Today they were determined to liberate the outside streets as well.
    While I was running away from the Mubarak mob on Talat Harb Street,
    a huge crowd came rushing out of the square, running towards the
    thugs.  Just the sight of this oncoming sea of people was enough
    to frighten the thugs.  The Mubarak mob disappeared as quickly as
    it had formed. Talat Harb Street, the site of street battles the
    last few days, was once again liberated.  People cheered "Horreyah,
    horreyah" - freedom, freedom.
[...]