On Monday, January 1, 2007 the Northwest Ohio Peace Coalition (NWOPC) started the year off right by endorsing the Occupation Project.
The group has been active since the Friday after September 11, 2001, when it held a large public meeting calling for a nonviolent response from the U.S. government. Since that time, some two dozen members have been arrested in civil disobedience actions, some more than once, but this is the first time the group discussed endorsing a civil disobedience project and joined in a national effort of that kind.
After discussing the current political situation and the voting records of our congressional members, Marcy Kaptur (D) in the House, and George Voinovich (R) and Sherrod Brown (D) in the Senate, we adopted the letter below, subject to minor revisions as needed.
About 10 days later NWOPC members organized one of the hundreds of demonstrations in the U.S. to oppose Bush’s escalation of the war. At that demonstration, 15 people said they were seriously interested in the Occupation Project, either as a potential arrestee or a support person, and we met briefly to go over basic information about the project and our involvement in it locally.
Since then, two other members have expressed interest in participating. We will schedule another meeting in the near future to make additional plans. People from around the Toledo area, whether in Ohio Congressional District 9, or 5, or from southeastern Michigan, can contact Mike Ferner for more information: 419-729-7273.
Dear Representative ________ / Senator _____________
You will soon have another opportunity to bring the war in Iraq to an end by voting against HR___, the Bush administration’s $100,000,000,000 “supplemental” funding request.
By now it is abundantly clear that an overwhelming majority of people in this country oppose this war; an overwhelming majority of U.S. troops in Iraq see no purpose in being there; and an overwhelming majority of Iraqis want us to leave. What reason can you, as our elected representative, possibly have for continuing the bloodshed and suffering in Iraq?
With all due respect, we do not want to hear that “some of the money in the supplemental request is for supplies for the troops,” or that “some of it is for hurricane relief,” or “drought relief” or a bridge needed in some congressional district. Neither do we want to hear that “if we leave now, Iraq will be plunged into chaos.” Iraq is already in chaos and our military presence is the reason. Once funding for this war is cut off, legislation can be quickly brought forward to fund the actual withdrawal of our troops.
After four years of a criminal war based on lies, there is only one acceptable response to our request: that you will do what is right and what people demand. END THE WAR BY CUTTING OFF THE MONEY. VOTE AGAINST HR____.
For your convenience and to publicly document your position, we include a signing statement (below) that we invite your staff to deliver to you for your signature. If we are not informed within five days that you have signed it, we will return to talk with you about it, with plans to stay until the pledge is signed.
We are all complicit in this illegal war. We look forward to having you join us in putting and end to it so we can finally go about rebuilding the damage we have done in Iraq, assuring the health and welfare of returning veterans, and providing for the many real needs we have here at home.
Most Sincerely,
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