Find out more about WITNESS AGAINST WAR 2008: From Chicago to St. Paul
walk to challenge and nonviolently resist our country's continuing war in and occupation of Iraq.
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recent additions at a glance
| VIDEO: Witness Against War -Fort McCoy | On Sunday, August 10th, Members of Witness against War walk from Chicago to St. Paul attempted to enter the base and have conversations with soldiers. 13 were arrested. |
| Walk Blog: Josh Brollier, Civil Disobedience a Success? | Josh Brollier writes about the non-violent act of civil resistance at Ft McCoy |
| Letter from Cathy Breen: "How can the walls ever come down?" | An Iraqi friend told me recently that the lack of electricity and jobs continue to fan the fires of anger and resistance. "Violence would decrease 50%" he said "if there were electricity." |
| Closed Navy "Nuclear War Trigger" Still Casting Long Shadow | Arrest warrants issued for charges a decade old |
| 13 Arrested at Fort McCoy for Opposing Iraq War | Arrests at Fort McCoy Wisconsin on August 10 |
| The Big Voice | Our "Witness Against War" walk is in Wisconsin, traversing traditional land of the Ho- Chunk Nation, also known in English translation as "People of the Big Voice." |
VIDEO: Witness Against War -Fort McCoy
Video by Christopher Knestrick
On Sunday, August 10th, Members of Witness against War walk from Chicago to St. Paul attempted to enter the base and have conversations with soldiers about their right to refuse illegal orders and to file as conscientious objectors. We also wanted to inform them that Spencer Black is going to introduce a piece of legislature that will potentially keep the 32nd Brigade Combat Team of the Wisconsin National Guard at home- this will be the second to third deployment of many members of the guard.
Walk Against the Wars -- Winona, MN
August 17, 2008
By Dietrich Nissen
KAAL-TV — Winona, MN
(ABC 6 NEWS) - They’re walking more than 450 miles to prove the point that they want an end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
It’s been a long walk for Kathy Kelly. She’s part of the Witness Against War group, that’s making its way from Chicago to St. Paul.
“We’ve just crossed into the wonderful state of Minnesota after walking through Illinois and Wisconsin,” said Kelly.
Walk Blog: Josh Brollier, Civil Disobedience a Success?
By Joshua Brollier
Aug 12, 2008
The press has gone out and the word has spread about our non-violent act of civil resistance at Ft McCoy, and I have been reflecting on the event and hoping that our action was an encouragement to the soldiers who are set to deploy to Iraq in 2009. We attempted to enter the base and have conversations with soldiers about their right to refuse illegal orders and to file as conscientious objectors. We also wanted to inform them that Spencer Black is going to introduce a piece of legislature that will potentially keep the 32nd Brigade Combat Team of the Wisconsin National Guard at home- this will be the second to third deployment of many members of the guard.
Protesters march against wars - LaCrosse, WI
August 13, 2008
By CHRIS HUBBUCH
La Crosse Tribune
Eleven weary war protesters ambled off the La Crosse River Trail on Tuesday, 371 miles from their starting point and still more than 100 miles from their destination.
They aren’t walking for exercise, or because they can’t all fit on the blue, green and yellow 1979 school bus that serves as their support vehicle.
Their goal is to stop the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, bring troops home and press the country to fund reconstruction of Iraq.
Letter from Cathy Breen: "How can the walls ever come down?"
Amman, Jordan
Aug 10, 2008
Dear Friends,
“How can the walls ever come down?” was the question I put to three Iraqi friends. Late yesterday afternoon I went next door to ask a neighbor if we could watch Iraqi TV news together. Would he mind translating for me? This young friend often helps me with Arabic, and I had brought my notebook along. We were joined by his brother and another Iraqi friend who will be returning to Baghdad soon. Moslem and Christians, we sat together. The walls I was referring to are the concrete barricades which have been constructed by the coalition forces throughout all of Baghdad. These walls seal off and separate entire communities.
Winonan arrested at Fort McCoy protest
August 12, 2008
By Kevin Behr
Winona Daily News
A Winona woman was among 13 protesters arrested by military police Sunday for trespassing during a protest at the Fort McCoy military base near Sparta, Wis.
Closed Navy "Nuclear War Trigger" Still Casting Long Shadow
By John LaForge
Nukewatch
August 11, 2008
TUNNEL CITY, Wisconsin — The long history of anti-nuclear protests in Wisconsin caught up yesterday with Kathy Kelly, a founder of Voices for Creative Nonviolence in Chicago, when a group of 13 peace activists walked onto the grounds of Ft. McCoy, the National Guard base near here, calling for an end to the U.S. occupation of Iraq.
Ft. McCoy is one of the country’s largest Guard bases and is a central training and deployment hub for occupation troops being shipped into Iraq and Afghanistan.
