 |
From
Susan Shaer, WAND Executive Director
On
Saturday, join me, and thousands, as we send a strong, clear message
to the new Congress:
End
the war. Bring the troops home.
Dear
Friend--
Like so many of you, I've traveled to Washington, DC for many rallies
and marches; and also, like so many of you, I've grown weary. So
many miles and so many steps, and then -- it feels like our chants
fall on deaf ears. |
But
this week, I find myself once again making plans to travel to DC on Saturday,
to strap on my sneakers, and to merge into the crowd of thousands. Why?
Because
I have hope that things are going to change, at last. We are
finally starting to make ourselves heard. Because I have hope -- in this
new Congress, in a new mood in the country, in the thousands of you who
will be streaming in from all corners of the country.
This
week, we had two signs of real change. First, we had the profound
pleasure of watching a woman sit in the Speaker's chair behind
the President during the State of the Union speech. Not just
a woman -- a mother, and a grandmother, and someone who is both opening
the way to real debate about new directions, and changing the tenor of
the conversation on Capitol Hill.
She didn't
just sit on the podium and watch. She is an active, gentle, firm, welcoming
leader, and she is making a difference already.
Second, the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee just passed the Biden-Hagel-Levin-Snowe
resolution that condemns President Bush’s plan to send more
than 20,000 more troops to Iraq. While not a binding resolution,
it sends up a signal that this Congress will do more than rubberstamp
the edicts that come down from the White House.
So I find
myself looking forward -- to the march, to the next few weeks of action
on Capitol Hill, to the end of this senseless, horrible war.
I invite
you to join me.
What
more you can do... (whether you can make it to the march or not)
- Send
a message to Congress: "It's time to bring troops
home from Iraq, and reconstruct the country" | Ask
your Representative to cosponsor HR 508
- Nationwide,
state legislatures are introducing resolutions to require Congressional
approval before the President sends more troops to Iraq. Please
join us in this movement by urging the introduction of a resolution
in your state! More here.
|
For more
information about the march, visit the United
for Peace & Justice web site.
The schedule
so far:
- 10:00
am: Meet
at the Navy Memorial, 7th Street and Pennsylvania NW.
Converge with lotsa women to march to the rally on the Mall together.
Join Jane Fonda, Susan Sarandon, Eve Ensler, Q'orianka Kilcher, Rhea
Perlman, Mimi Kennedy, Sean Penn, Congresswomen Lynn Woolsey and Maxine
Waters, and others for a fun and powerful gathering!
Co-sponsored
by the National Organization for Women, Eve Ensler and V-Day, Feminist
Majority, WAND: Women's Action for New Directions, Feminist Peace Network
and WATER: Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual.
- 11:00
am: United for Peace and Justice Rally and speakers.
- 1:00
pm: March kicks off. Gather
on the Mall between 3rd and 7th streets.
- Lobby
Day: On Monday, January 29th, individuals will meet with members
of Congress and/or their aides; a training for the lobby day will be
held on Sunday, Jan. 28th.
Other ideas
and hints:
- Get
a sign from Working Assets! You can download one of the signs, or
order one and pick it up on Saturday.
- Layer
up! It is supposed to be cold and sunny on Saturday.
- Bring
food and drink. There will be portable potties along the route,
but little access to food and drink.
More
information: Susan Chenelle (susan@unitedforpeace.org)
or Leslie Kauffman (lak@unitedforpeace.org);
both can be reached by phone at 212-868-5545. |
