Building a Movement to End the Occupation of Iraq

[davidswanson]

Remarks at American University Teach-In on March 22, 2008
By David Swanson

Robert Dreyfuss's presentation that I now have to follow was tremendous and I learned a lot, but I disagree with his pessimism. I am fond of the saying "Let's save our pessimism for better times." It's a choice to be a pessimist, and it is a wrong one, always.

So, here we are again, a crowd dominated by old white people on a college campus in a black city. But on March 12th and 19th in this city I watched hundreds of college students and African Americans put their bodies in the way of arrest and abuse for peace. If I had to choose, I'd rather have people in the streets than in a teach-in.

Still, I think this all-too-typical turnout suggests how segregation and civic weakness in this country allows mass murder to occur in other countries. We have long term work to do assuming we live long enough to do it.

Today was billed as a dialogue on the war, and I want to speak first and if there's time have a dialogue or a multilogue, but not about a war. A war is a contest between two armies, and can be won or lost, can end in victory or defeat, and is understood as intended to have an end some day. What we have in Iraq is an occupation of a people by a single foreign military force. It can never be won or lost and is not intended to ever end. The movement we need to build cannot, I think, most easily succeed by using language that defines our success as defeat. Instead our success should be understood as getting tough on crime, as the American people reining in the abuse of power of the least popular president and vice president we have ever known.

I know you may want to tell me that certain allegedly mainstream Americans cannot possibly think of their president as a war criminal and would be more likely to support a responsible and slow redeployment of part of the occupying army to elsewhere in the empire if we don't use the word crime - except, perhaps, in blaming the Iraqis for how they've handled our genocidal charity mission to their country. But I think you would be underestimating a sufficient number of Americans to make that the wrong approach, that you should recycle your television as soon as possible, that it is their posture toward Bush more than toward Muslims that makes the Democrats look like wimps and makes Congress so unpopular, and that only a reversal of our imperialism can leave us a sustainable world, so there's no time like the present to start working on it. We don't need to win over every last American; we just need a significant minority of the majority that is already with us TO ACT.

CNN says that in a poll of 1,019 adults between March 14 and 16, 52 percent said that the United States' action in Iraq is not morally justified. That's not a bad response for a question that's rarely been polled or discussed in the media.

We're also, according to today's agenda, supposed to base our movement for withdrawal on an analysis of failed policies, but I'm not going to do that because I don't see any failed policies. The Cheney-Bush gang intended to install a permanent occupation of Iraq, enrich oil barons and arms makers and disaster capitalists, win or steal elections, eliminate civil rights at home, transfer wealth upward, and transfer power from Capitol Hill to the White House. We've just heard how ignorant they are, but they are ignorant of things they do not care about. They may have had dreams of quickly pacifying Iraq and moving on to the next victim in Iran, rather than empowering Iran as they have done, and we in the peace movement and the counter recruitment movement and the independent media can share credit with the Iraqi people for having slowed things down. But I don't see any fundamental failure. The forces against which we need to build a movement are succeeding. And that is unequivocally BAD news. Their goals are murder and theft. The last thing we should be doing is wishing them success or lamenting their "failed policies."

We succeeded over five years ago in denying our U.S. warmongers U.N. authorization of the invasion, although they now try to claim that the occupation is legal. We have succeeded in slowing recruitment, although they've responded by stop-lossing those they've already recruited. We succeeded in 2006 in turning congressional elections into a referendum on the occupation of Iraq and won the Democrats probably 50 new seats to use in bringing it to an end. But election fraud left them with only 30 new seats, and their leadership immediately decreed that they would keep the occupation going in order to run against it again in 2008. We even elected some anti-war activists, like Carol Shea Porter, to Congress who immediately signed onto the plan to keep the occupation going for two years.

We have succeeded in making the American public extremely aware of the dishonesty used in promoting the invasion of Iraq, and that awareness has helped forestall an attack on Iran. But we have been less successful in communicating the dishonesty involved in promoting the ongoing occupation and in communicating the murderous costs of the occupation. The primary reason for this is probably activists' subservience to a political party and that party's misguided fear of the absolutely nonsensical accusation of not "supporting the troops". We're also up against the corporate media's complete lack of interest in Iraqis' deaths.

And we have failed dramatically in communicating the fact that the Democrats in Congress have the power to cease funding the occupation right now, as well as the fact that the next 10 months exist, that contrary to popular belief we will not have a new president tomorrow, but rather must survive 10 more months under the reign of the Decider and the Dark Lord.

It's very hard to build an activist movement without hope of quick success, but it's impossible to build an activist movement without the belief that success is at least possible and the willingness to endure the ridicule of those wise souls who claim to support us while telling us that failure is guaranteed. We have to be willing to endure that, and we have to find ways to provide solidarity and fun and other compensations for the lack of hope.

Look around at all of the people in this room. Now imagine a few thousand of these rooms, all with the same number of people. Now imagine all of those people dying. That is the result that will come from Congress handing Bush another $100 billion in the coming weeks. Over the next 10 months, Iraqis will die because of the occupation, and people around the world will die for lack of the resources we are pouring into the corporations profiting from the occupation. And many who do not die will consider the dead the lucky ones. When anyone tells you that they want to end the occupation but can't do it until 2009 because they're too smart and know better, question their wisdom. And especially do so if they work for the corporate media. Write letters. Call talk shows. When you read that the Democrats are helpless as babies because they don't have 67 senators, do not let that lie spread unchallenged. Let every producer and editor know that we know that it takes 41 senators to block a funding bill, or a simple majority of House members, or simply the leadership of the so-called leadership. Pelosi has successfully badgered progressive Democrats to vote for funding in the past and badgered rightwing Democrats to oppose telecom immunity. She could cut off the money right now and spare all of those lives. She and Harry Reid prefer to portray themselves as critics of an occupation for which they are responsible.

A number of very well funded peace organizations that have tended to put Democratic partisanship ahead of peace have finally just launched a new effort to urge Congress to stop funding the occupation. You can find it at Stand Up Congress dot org. I find this highly encouraging. However, these organizations, some of which are dumping tens of millions of dollars into partisan election ads in the corporate media, are not investing a dime in this new campaign. The campaign involves no on-the-ground organizing, no events, no advertising, just a website to collect our Email addresses. (Unless the answers that Tom Andrews gave to me and Ray McGovern in this room earlier today were honest and some money is put behind this.) But that doesn't mean we shouldn't overwhelm it with success. It costs us nothing to sign on and to urge real action and serious funding. We have to lobby our potential allies among the grassroots and astroturf organizations as well as lobbying Congress directly.

If we are going to change the public discourse and apply the necessary pressure to force an end to the funding, it will take a fair amount of energy and focus from a great many people. We cannot waste time on other things. That starts by making the area around you an election-free zone. We have an election DAY, and on that day you can vote for the least bad candidate. We don't need an election eternity. So, when people start talking to you about whether it's sexist to consider a female candidate's male supporters' statements racist always or only if those supporters are Latino, tell them to get you a candidate who will filibuster the occupation funding and a nonpartisan public hand counting of your paper ballots, but tell them that in the meantime you have important work to do.

Elections may be the heart and soul of a republic, and we may have a handful of examples where election challenges, like Donna Edwards' challenge of Al Wynn, have reformed incumbent congress members. And Cynthis Papermaster's challenge led Pete Stark to sign onto impeachment, and now she's running against Zoe Lofgren, hoping for the same result. But elections in this country now serve primarily to dissuade activist organizations and individuals from lobbying elected officials. If we hadn't had any elections since 2003, we might have mobilized the public pressure to shut down this city and compel our government to end the occupation of Iraq. If no member of Congress belonged to any political party, we might have long since persuaded enough of them to listen to their constituents. One thing you can do is send checks to the campaigns of elected officials and challengers who get it right, and send photocopies of those checks to other key congress members, noting why they won't be receiving the same.

A serious movement to stop funding the occupation would include a filibuster strategy for the Senate and would think ahead to the next step following a refusal to fund by either the Senate or House. Almost certainly Bush would misappropriate funds to continue the occupation with a new level of illegality added. Congress would then have to impeach or whimper away with its tail between its legs. Taking the peace and impeachment movements in the opposite order might make more sense, however. Impeachment hearings might embolden congress members to end the funding, and Congress would be free to impeach for its top choice from the long list of Cheney's and Bush's impeachable offenses. There are nine Judiciary Committee members and dozens of other congress members urging John Conyers to hold hearings. Every one of you should phone John Conyers every morning to ask the same.

It only makes sense, of course, that an occupation we want to end involves actions we consider impeachable offenses. So we should be pushing for an end to the funding and a commencement of impeachment hearings. It is far from too late for either project. Impeachments and impeachment movements that accomplish worthy goals without reaching impeachment tend to happen late and to not take much time. The movements to impeach Truman and Hoover happened significantly later in their terms than where we are now with Bush and Cheney. Andrew Johnson fired Edwin Stanton on February 21, 1868. On March 2nd, ten days later, the House voted to impeach him for that action. No lengthy process is necessary.

Internet organizing, which is the only real organizing I do, is most effective if it inspires real world groups on the ground to take collective action and facilitates that action. Useful actions can be taken at any time, but can also gain strength through national coordination. One possibility that has been tossed around is to turn May First into a national strike day for peace, impeachment, and human rights. What if some funded organizations invested in that instead of in ads to fund the corporate media and make sure the last four people in the country know that John McCain likes wars?

As an individual, we can all take actions every day, including outreach to potential activists. Memorize [phone] and phone your congress member and senators every day. Contact the corporate media and support honest independent media in some way every day. Work with local peace and justice groups in your area to plan fun and creative events to bring more people into the movement. Advertise your views on your clothing, start conversations, hand out flyers. Recruit people into local and national groups. Send them to impeachcheney.org or unitedforpeace.org or any of a thousand websites where they can get connected to a movement.

Plan local events and activities that apply pressure to your congress member and senators. Do what it takes to disrupt and attract attention, but have a good-cop on your team as well. Talk to your elected officials, but be aware that most of their excuses are simply excuses. Refuting them will just be an annoyance. What you need to communicate is the electoral advantage of doing what you ask.

If the Democratic leadership believed, as I do, that there was more electoral risk in not ending the funding than in ending it, the funding would stop. If they believed failure to impeach to be a greater risk for them at the polls than impeaching, impeachment hearings would be happening. There is no reason we cannot change their thinking quickly in both regards. The Republicans won after impeaching Johnson and trying to impeach Truman. The Democrats won after trying to impeach Nixon, but lost after failing to pursue Reagan. The Republicans, against the public will, impeached Clinton for a private non-offense and still took both houses of Congress and the White House. For an impeachment movement to succeed in restoring justice and succeed electorally, it need never reach impeachment. Impeachment hearings now on torture, detentions, spying, rewriting laws, lying to the public and Congress, etc., would compel John McCain to defend each offense even while campaigning against it. Impeachment would be a gold mine for a political party capable of thinking offense rather than only defense.

If enough of us choose to act in very easy ways, we can change the US approach to the world over the next 10 months. But what if we don't? Then would we be better off to have worked on the elections? I don't think so. I think the best way to help Obama and other Democrats get elected is to push them toward stronger clearer positions for peace and justice. Were Obama to lead the way with a filibuster of the funding of the occupation, he would look stronger and more decisive, and his supporters would be energized. And the best way to put ourselves in a position to accomplish our goals in 2009, no matter who ends up in the White House and Congress, is to try to accomplish our goals in 2008. If we educate the American public now on the fact that Congress can end the funding of the occupation of Iraq, we will be in a better position to make that happen in 2009 should we not succeed this year. And succeeding this year is entirely possible. New scandals we don't know about will emerge to assist us. New wars not yet launched will enrage those not yet taking action. And awareness will begin to penetrate the Democratic Party that the failure to act is a liability. Important victories never look likely until they happen, but they do happen. Let's keep our republic. Thank you.

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. "And we have failed dramatically in communicating the fact that the Democrats in Congress

have the power to cease funding the occupation right now"

:applause:

Thanks David, for all you do.

[LWolf]

2. K & R n/t

[Hissyspit]

3. k&r

[Time for change]

4. Excellent points

The Iraq War most definitely does not represent failed policies. That point needs to be made a lot more often.

[Better Believe It]

5. Want To Build A United And Democratic Anti-Iraq War Movement?

Well, I suggest that all serious anti-war activists and organizations get on board and support the following National Anti-Iraq War Conference.

I believe this is the first time an open and democratic national conference against the Iraq occupation has been organized since the invasion of Iraq. It's about time we unite!


Open National Conference to Stop the War in Iraq and Bring the Troops Home Now

On behalf of the Coordinating Committee of the National Assembly to End the Iraq War and Occupation, we are pleased to announce an Open National Conference to Stop the War in Iraq and Bring the Troops Home Now, scheduled for Cleveland, Ohio, June 28-29, 2008. The purpose of the conference is to place on the agenda of the entire U.S. antiwar movement a proposal for the largest possible united mass mobilization(s) in the future to stop the Iraq War and end the occupation.

Everyone -- every organization, every coalition, everywhere in the U.S., all who oppose the war and the occupation -- is warmly and enthusiastically invited to attend this open democratic U.S. national antiwar conference and to join with us in advancing and promoting the coming together of an antiwar movement in this country with the power to make a mighty contribution toward ending the war and occupation of Iraq now.

Please explore the Assembly's website for more information. The website contains a statement further explaining the purpose of the conference, endorsers to date, a form for organizations to endorse, and a form to register and attend. See also the attachments, one of which also provides the list of endorsers, a form for endorsements by individuals, and a registration form.

In solidarity,

Greg Coleridge, Coordinator, Northeast Ohio Anti-War Coalition; Economic Justice & Empowerment Program Director, Northeast Ohio American Friends Service Committee

Marilyn Levin, Coordinating Committee, Greater Boston United for Justice with Peace

Please visit the website at:
http://natassembly.org /





Endorsers of Open National Conference
As Of Monday, March 10, 2008

(Partial Listing)
( * = organization or position for identification only)

1. Cindy Sheehan, Gold Star Families for Peace*
2. Howard Zinn, Author, Historian, Social Critic, Political Scientist, Playwright
3. U.S. Labor Against the War (USLAW)
4. Veterans for Peace
5. Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Utah Chapter
6. National Lawyers Guild
7. North Shore AFL-CIO Federation of Labor (Formerly Cleveland AFL-CIO)
8. Donna Dewitt, President, South Carolina AFL-CIO*
9. Navy Petty Officer Jonathan W. Hutto, Author of "Anti-War Soldier" and Co-Founder of Appeal For Redress*
10. Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, Los Angeles, CA
11. Progressive Democrats of America
12. A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism)
13. The Iraq Moratorium
14. United Teachers Los Angeles
15. Northeast Ohio Anti-War Coalition (NOAC)
16. Ramsey Clark, former U.S. Attorney General
17. Green Party of Ohio
18. Progressive Action, a coalition of the Duluth Central Labor Body, Democratic Farmer-Labor Party, and the Duluth Area Green Party
19. Scott Ritter
20. Anti-War Committee of the Thomas Merton Center, Pittsburgh, PA
21. Colia Lafayette Clark, Chair, Richard Wright Centennial Committee, Philadelphia, PA
22. Ohio State Council UNITE HERE
23. Women Speak Out for Peace and Justice – the Cleveland Branch of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
24. Chris Silvera, Secretary-Treasurer, Teamsters Local 808*, Long Island, NY
25. Cleveland Peace Action
26. Peninsula Peace and Justice Center, Palo Alto, CA
27. Greater Boston Stop the Wars Coalition (STWC)
28. John W. Braxton, Co-President, American Federation of Teachers Local 2026*; Faculty and Staff Federation of Community College of Philadelphia*
29. Eduardo Rosario, Executive Board, NY City Chapter – Labor Council for Latin American Advancement*
30. RI Mobilization Committee to Stop War and Occupation
31. Steve Early, Member, National Writers Union/UAW*, Labor Journalist
32. Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace
33. Northeast Ohio American Friends Service Committee
34. Cynthia McKinney, Former Congresswoman from Georgia
35. Allen Cholger, United Steelworkers Union Staff Representative*, Southfield, MI
36. Malcolm Suber, Reconstruction Activist; 2007 City Council Candidate in New Orleans, LA
37. Greg Coleridge, Coordinator, Northeast Ohio Anti-War Coalition; Economic Justice & Empowerment Program Director, Northeast Ohio American Friends Service Committee
38. Marilyn Levin, Member, Coordinating Committee, Greater Boston United for Justice with Peace; Founder, Middle East Crisis Coalition
39. Jeff Mackler, Founder, Mobilization for Peace, Jobs and Justice, San Francisco, CA
40. Jerry Gordon, former National Co-Coordinator of the Vietnam-era National Peace Action Coalition (NPAC); Member, U.S. Labor Against the War Steering Committee, Cleveland, OH
41. Barbara Lubin, Director, Middle East Children’s Alliance
42. Jamilla El-Shafei, Kennebunkport, Maine, (the Kennebunkport Peace Department)
43. Mumia Abu-Jamal
44. Alan Netland, President of the Duluth Central Labor Body and AFSCME Local 66*
45. Will Rhodes, Chair, Minnesota 8th Congressional District, Green Party; Steering Committee of the Duluth Area Green Party
46. Leonard Weinglass, Attorney for the Cuban Five
47. Gail Schoenfelder, Co-Chair, Clayton-Jackson-McGee Memorial; Board Member of the Duluth League of Women Voters*
48. California Peace and Freedom Party
49. Greater Cleveland Immigrant Support Network
50. Wasatch Coalition for Peace and Justice of Northern Utah
51. Alan Benjamin, Member, Executive Board, San Francisco Labor Council; Member, National Steering Committee, U.S. Labor Against the War
52. Rev. Dr. Diana Gibson, Co-Director, Council of Churches of Santa Clara County, San Jose, CA*
53. Sacramento Chapter, Labor Council for Latin American Involvement (LCLAA), AFL-CIO, Sacramento, CA
54. Iranians for Peace and Justice, CT and Texas Chapters
55. Youth Against War & Racism, MN
56. Samina Faheem, Executive Director, American Muslim Voice
57. National Education Association Peace and Justice Caucus
58. Union de Trabajadores Inmigrantes (Union of Immigrant Workers), Madison, WI
59. The L.A. Palestine Labor Solidarity Committee, Los Angeles, CA
60. San Jose Peace and Justice Center
61. Andy Griggs, Board of Directors, United Teachers Los Angeles; Chair, National Education Association Peace and Justice Caucus; Continuations Committee, American Federation of Teachers Peace and Justice Caucus*; Steering Committee Member, U.S. Labor Against the War, Los Angeles, CA
62. Office of the Americas, Los Angeles, CA
63. Fernando Suarez del Solar, Founder and Director, Guerrero Azteca Peace Project Escondido, CA
64. Doug Bullock, 1st Vice President, Albany Federation of Labor and Member of the Albany County Legislature
65. Arlington (MA) United for Justice with Peace
66. Sarah Martin, Member, Women Against Military Madness, MN
67. Paul Krehbiel, Iraq Moratorium, Los Angeles, CA
68. Sharon Smith, Haymarket Books
69. Francesca Rosa, Member SEIU Local 1021, Delegate, San Francisco Labor Council*, Member, Bay Area Labor Committee for Peace and Justice*
70. National Benedictines for Peace
71. Elizabeth Aaronsohn, Professor of Education and Faculty in the Peace Studies Program*, Central CT State University, New Britain, CT
72. Adirondack Progressives
73. Pam Africa, International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal and Move Organization
74. AfterDowningStreet.org
75. Kali Akuno, Member, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, Gulf Coast Reconstruction Movement activist, New Orleans, LA*
76. Richard Brooks Alba, Co-Chair Emeritus, SF Pride at Work (AFL-CIO), Berkeley, CA
77. Mike Alewitz, Labor Art and Mural Project, New Britain, CT
78. Stephen Allen, Steve Allen Painting, Akron, OH
79. Alliance for Global Justice
80. Dr. Sabah Alwan, Associate Professor of Leadership & Organizational Behavior, College of St. Scholastica, Duluth, MN
81. American Federation of Musicians Local 1000, NY, NY
82. Andy Anderson, Veterans for Peace, Chapter 80
83. Jeff Anderson, Duluth City Councilor
84. Thomas Atwood, Community Organizer, Peninsula Interfaith Alliance (PICO); Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Redwood City, CA*
85. Mark Bailey, member and seminary student, United Church of Christ*, Elyria, OH
86. Jared A. Ball, Producer, Independent/Mixtape Journalism: FreeMix Radio, Words, Beats and Life Global Journal of Hip-Hop Culture, Washington, D.C.*
87. Russ Banner, Co-Coordinator, Pax Christi – Manasota Chapter, FL
88. Ana Barber, UTLA Board of Directors, Long Beach, CA
89. Bay Area United Against the War
90. Karen Bernal, International Longshore Workers Union Project Organizer, San Francisco, CA
91. Marcia Bernsten
92. Dennis Bernstein, Producer Flashpoint/KPFA Radio, Berkeley, CA
93. Prof. Hal Bertilson, Professor of Psychology and UWS Psychology Program; Coordinator; Member, Amnesty International; Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Duluth Peace and Justice Committee
94. Thomas Bias, President, Northwest New Jersey Peace Fellowship
95. Roy Blount, President, Taxi Workers Alliance of Pennsylvania
96. Iver Bogen, Progressive Action Secretary, Duluth, MN
97. Scott Bol, St. Croix Valley Peacemakers, Stillwater, MN
98. Blasé Bonpane, Director, Ofice of the Americas, Los Angeles, CA
99. Theresa Bonpane, Executive Director, Office of the Americas, Los Angeles, CA
100. Boston May Day Coalition, www.bostonmayday.org
101. Laura Bothwell, Founder of the St. Scholastica College Democrats; Former Director, Programs at the Columbia Univ. Center for the Study of Science and Religion; NY, NY
102. Frank Boyle, Wisconsin State Representative, 73rd Assembly District
103. Patrick Boyle, Progressive Action Steering Committee, Duluth, MN
104. Heather Bradford, Co-Founder, Students Against War, College St. Scholastica
105. Lenni Brenner, Author, Zionism in the Age of the Dictators
106. Lyn Broach, Steve Allen Painting, Akron, OH
107. Don Bryant, President, Greater Cleveland Immigrant Support Network
108. Cafe Intifada, Los Angeles, CA
109. Campaign for Labor Rights
110. Michael Carano, Ohio Progressive Democrats of America State Co-Coordinator
111. Patrick Carano, Ohio Progressive Democrats of America State Co-Coordinator
112. Steve Carlson, Peace North, Northern Wisconsin Coordinator for the Iraq Moratorium Project
113. Mary Carmichael, Northwoods People for Peace, Ironwood, MN
114. Tim Carpenter, National Director, Progressive Democrats of America
115. CCSU Progressive Students Alliance, New Britain, CT
116. Central CT State University Peace Studies Program, New Britain, CT
117. Central Ohioans for Peace
118. Chapter 39 (Northeast Ohio) Veterans for Peace
119. Chatham Peace Initiative
120. Chelsea Unièndose en Contra de la Guerra, Chelsea, MA
121. Chicago Labor Against the War, an affiliate of U.S. Labor Against the War
122. Chicago Socialist Party
123. Jim Ciocia, Staff Representative, Ohio Council 8, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)*, Cleveland, OH
124. Cleveland Middle East Peace Forum
125. Coalition for World Peace (CFWP) – An affiliate of UFPJ, Los Angeles, CA
126. Code Pink, Pittsburgh Chapter
127. Columbus Campaign for Arms Control/For Mother Earth
128. Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES – Los Angeles, CA)
129. Common Ground Relief/New Orleans – Malik Raheem, Co-Founder
130. Dave Conley, Douglas County Board Supervisor, WI
131. Jan Conley, Founder and President of Environmental Assn. for Great Lakes Education
132. Tony Cuneo, Duluth City Council*
133. Alan Dale, member, Iraq Peace Action Coalition, MN
134. Denise D’Anne, Senior Action Network, San Francisco, CA*
135. Declaration of Peace – San Mateo County, San Mateo, CA
136. Democratic Socialists of Central Ohio
137. Ron Dicks, International Vice President, Western Region, International Federation of Professional and Technical Employees (IFPTE), San Francisco*
138. Frank Dorrell, Addicted to War, Los Angeles, CA
139. Doug Dowd - Political economist, author, professor, Bologna, Italy
140. Mark Dudzic, National Organizer, Labor Party*
141. Larry Duncan, Labor Beat Co-Producer, Chicago, IL
142. East Central Ohio Green Party
143. Jebb Ebben, lead vocals of The Dear Astronaut band, Milwaukee, WI
144. El Militante Sin Fronteras
145. Erie Benedictines for Peace, PA
146. Every Church a Church of Peace (Duluth, MN area chapter)
147. Farid Farahmand, Iranians for Peace, New Britain, CT
148. Christian Fernandez, Greater Boston Stop the Wars Coalition
149. Jeanne Finley, Albany, NY
150. Milton Fisk, South Central Indiana Jobs with Justice; Emeritus Prof. of Philosophy, Indiana Univ.- Bloomington
151. Jon Flanders, member and past president IAM Local Lodge 1145; Trustee, Troy Area Labor Council, NY
152. Carlos Flores, Secretary-Treasurer, Graphic Communications Conference-IBT Local 4N*
153. Focus the Nation, Portland, OR
154. Christine Frank, Climate Crisis Coalition of the Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN
155. Freedom Socialist Party, Seattle, WA, Henry Noble, National Secretary
156. Frente de Mexicanos en el Exterior/FME (Front of Mexicans Aboard), Sacramento, CA
157. Future of the Union
158. Emily Gaarder, Assistant Prof. of Sociology/Anthropology, Univ. of MN-Duluth, MN
159. Dennis Gallie, Member UAW Local 235, St. Louis, MO*
160. Sharla Gardner, Duluth City Councilor and Former Executive Board Member of AFSCME Local 66, Duluth, MN
161. Christine Gauvreau, Organizing Committee, CT United for Peace*
162. Gay Liberation Network, Chicago, IL
163. Paul George, Director, Peninsula Peace and Justice Center, Palo Alto, CA
164. Mirène Ghossein, member of Adalah-NY: Coalition for Justice in the Middle East*, and WESPAC (Westchester County Peace and Action Network)*
165. Isaac Alejandro Giron, Chairman of the SLC Autonomous Brown Berets; United for Peace and Justice Steering Committee Member
166. Martin Goff, Minnesota UNITE HERE Organizer*
167. David Goldberg, UTLA Treasurer, Los Angeles, CA
168. Sam Goldberger, We Refuse to Be Enemies, West Hartford, CT*
169. Marty Goodman, Transport Workers Union Local 100*, NY, NY, former Executive Board member
170. Dayne Goodwin, Secretary, Wasatch Coalition for Peace and Justice, Salt Lake City, UT
171. Steve Gordon, Former President of UTU Local 1732 & Lead Vocalist for the bands Worker and Black Market Bombs, Conway, SC
172. Kevin Gosztola, Author for OpEdNews; member, Peace Movement
173. Grandmothers for Peace, Northland Chapter
174. Grandmothers for Peace International, Elk Grove, CA
175. Green Party of Rhode Island, Providence, RI
176. Suzanne Griffith, Professor of Counseling, Univ. of Wisconsin-Superior; Member of Women in Black
177. Guerrero Azteca Peace Project, Escondido, CA
178. Cheryl Gustafson, Western University (Salt Lake City) Community Relations*
179. Ioanna Gutas, Middle East Crisis Committee, New Haven, CT*
180. Jim Hamilton, St. Louis; Member, State Executive Board of American Federation of Teachers, MO*
181. Carol Hannah, Peace North, Hayward, WI
182. Mo Hannah, Ph.D., Chair, Battered Mothers Custody Conference
183. John Harris, Co-Founder – Greater Boston Stop the Wars Coalition, Boston, MA; Co-Founder – Chelsea Uniéndose en Contra de la Guerra, Chelsea, MA; Regional Coordinating Committee member, New England United*
184. Alan Hart, Managing Editor, UE News, United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE)*
185. Rose Helin, Former President, Students Against War, Univ. of Wisconsin-Superior
186. Stan Heller, The Struggle Video News Network, West Haven, CT*
187. Melissa Helman, Former School of the Americas Protest Prisoner of Conscience, Ashland, WI
188. Inola F Henry, UTLA Board of Directors, Los Angeles, CA
189. Laura Herrera, Co-Coordinator, The Mobilization to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal, Northern California
190. Fletcher Hinds, Vietnam Veteran, MN Veterans & Military Families for Progress*, Duluth, MN
191. Fred Hirsch, Plumbers and Fitters Local 393 Executive Board; Delegate to the South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council, San Jose, CA*
192. Suzanne and William Hodgkins, Niskayuna, NY
193. Marvin Holland, www.homestationonline.org, Jersey City, NJ
194. Julie Holzer, Staff Representative, District 12, United Steelworkers Union*
195. Kathleen Hopton, Mentor, OH
196. Houston Coalition for Justice Not War, Houston, TX
197. Physicians for Social Responsibility, Hudson-Mohawk Chapter
198. Jeff Humfeld, Board of Directors, KKFI Community Radio, Kansas City, MO*
199. ICUJP-Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace, Los Angeles, CA
200. International Socialist Organization (ISO)
201. Khalil Iskarous, Middle East Crisis Committee, New Haven, CT*
202. lbrahim Jibrell, Trinity College Antiwar Coalition, Hartford, CT*
203. Jeni Johnson, Former News Editor for the Promethean newspaper
204. Laurie Johnson, Former Duluth City Councilor; Business Agent AFSCME Council 5, Duluth, MN
205. Peter Johnson, Progressive Action Steering Committee & Duluth Professional Firefighters Union*, Duluth, MN
206. Kansas City Labor Against the War, a U.S. Labor Against the War affiliate
207. Dan Kaplan, Executive Director, AFT Local 1493; the San Mateo (CA) Community College Federation of Teachers*
208. David Keil, Greater Boston Stop the Wars Coalition; New England United*
209. Tim Kettler, Secretary, Green Party of Ohio*
210. Joel Kilgour, Truth in Recruiting Committee, Duluth, MN
211. John Kirkland, Stop the War committee, Carpenters Local 1462*, Bristol, PA
212. Dr. Gary Kohls, Every Church a Church of Peace
213. Bob Kosuth, Steering Committee of the Northland Anti-War Coalition
214. Gene Kotrba, Northeast Ohio Anti-War Coalition (NOAC), Berea, OH
215. Rev. Kurt Kuhwald, Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto, Palo Alto, CA*
216. Rick Kurki, Board Member of the Tyomies Society, Highbridge, WI
217. Zev Kvitky, President, SEIU Local 2007, Stanford, CA
218. Lake Superior Greens
219. Werner Lange, Professor of Sociology, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania* 220. Ben Larson, Singer for the band Crew Jones
221. Prof. Mark Lause, Department of History, University of Cincinnati
222. Peter LaVenia, Co-Chair, New York Green Party
223. Paul Le Blanc, Prof. of History and LaRoche College; Member, Anti-War Committee, Thomas Merton Center, Pittsburgh
224. Fernando B. Ledezma, UTLA Board of Directors, El Monte, CA
225. Rosemary Lee, Member, CFT Civil, Human and Women’s Rights Committee*, Los Angeles, CA
226. Pat Levasseur, East Coast Director, Lynne Stewart Defense Committee; former political prisoner, Ohio 7
227. Libertarian Party of Northeast Ohio
228. Jack Lieberman, Jewish Arab Dialog Association*, Miami , FL
229. Jerimarie Liesagang, CT Transadvocacy Coalition, Hartford, CT
230. Michael Livingston, Professor of Psychology, St. John's University, Collegeville, MN
231. Janet Loehr, Middle East Peace Forum, Cleveland, OH
232. Joe Lombardo, Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace and Coordinator, Northeast Peace and Justice Action Coalition
233. Los Altos Voices for Peace, Los Altos, CA
234. David Macko, Chairman, Libertarian Party, Northeast Ohio*, Solon, OH
235. Jorge Marin, Circula Bolivarimo - Martin Luther King, Jr.*, Boston MA
236. Jennifer Martin-Romme, Editor, Zenith City Weekly Newspaper
237. Logan Martinez, Green Party West Central Ohio
238. Mayday Books, MN
239. Prof. Bud McClure, Faculty Against War, Univ. of Minnesota-Duluth
240. Rick McDowell, Belmont, ME
241. Kay McKenzie, Douglas County Board Supervisor, WI
242. Minnesota Labor Against the War
243. Mobilization to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal
244. Suren Moodliar, Mass Global Action*
245. Hal Moore, Progressive Action Treasurer, Duluth, MN
246. Tess Moren, Intl. Peace Studies Student Assn., Univ. of Wisconsin-Superior
247. Dorinda Moreno, Co-Moderator, indyiraqaction; Convenor, Fuerza Mundial Collaborative, Santa Maria, CA*
248. Amy Moses, Leader, Young Adult Group, of the 1st Unitarian Universalist Society of SF
249. Denis Mosgofian, Graphic Communications Conference-IBT Local 4N, past president, current Delegate to San Francisco Labor Council*
250. Peter and Gail Mott, Co-Editors INTERCONNECT: (national newsletter)
251. David Moulton, Loaves & Fishes Catholic Worker Community, Duluth, MN
252. MoveOn/East Bay, Barrington, RI
253. Bill Moyer and The Backbone Campaign
254. MJ Muser, World Can’t Wait-Cleveland
255. Muslim Solidarity Committee
256. National Committee, Socialist Party USA
257. Kamran Nayeri, Political Economist, University of California
258. Near West Citizens for Peace and Justice
259. Neighbors for Peace, IL
260. Nicaragua Network
261. Mary Nichols-Rhodes, Ohio Progressive Democrats of America State CD Organizer
262. Victor Nieto, President of Lodge 1043 Transportation and Communications Union*, Bronx, NY
263. North Shore Coalition for Peace and Justice, IL
264. Northland Anti-War Coalition
265. Jim Northrup, Native American Playwright, Poet, Author and Syndicated Columnist of Column "Fond du Lac Follies"
266. Ohio State Labor Party
267. Barb Olsen, President, Progressive Action, Political Commentator for KUMD-FM Radio and Political Columnist for the Reader Weekly Newspaper
268. Bill Onasch, Midwest Chapter Representative, Labor Party Interim National Council*
269. Steve O'Neil, St. Louis County Board Commissioner, Duluth, MN.
270. Debbie Ortman, National Field Director of the Organic Consumers Assn.; Former Hermantown, MN City Councilor; President, Duluth League of Women Voters
271. Jeff Panetiere, Western Connecticut State Univ. Youth for Justice, Danbury, CT*
272. Peace & Social Justice Committee*, La Roche College, Pittsburgh, PA
273. Peace Action of San Mateo County, San Mateo, CA
274. Josh Pechthalt, UTLA/AFT Vice President, Los Angeles, CA
275. Paula J. Pedersen: Assistant Professor of Psychology, Univ. of MN-Duluth
276. Helen Pent, President, Northland College Student Assn.
277. John Peterson, National Secretary, U.S. Hands Off Venezuela
278. Millie Phillips, Editorial Board, The Organizer Newspaper*
279. Jan Pierce, Retired National Vice President – Communications Workers of America District One
280. Angela T. Pineros, Greater Boston Stop the Wars Coalition
281. Larry Pinkney, Black Activist Writers Guild & Columnist, Twin Cities, MN*
282. Andy Pollack, Adalah–NY: Coalition for Justice in the Middle East,* Brooklyn, NY
283. Joseph Pollard, Transport Workers Union Local 100*, NY,NY
284. Portage Community Peace Coalition, Brady Lake, OH
285. Dolores Perez Priem, Iraq Moratorium and UUs for Peace, San Francisco, CA
286. Progressive Action Steering Committee, Duluth, MN
287. Progressive Democrats of America Los Angeles (PDALA) Los Angeles, CA
288. Progressive Democrats of America – Ohio
289. Radical Women, San Francisco, CA
290. Dr. Chengiah Ragaven, Professor of International Relations, Central CT State Univ., New Britain, CT*
291. Walter Raschik, Host, Walt Dizzo Show on KUWS-FM Radio
292. Jack Rasmus, Co-Chair, Natl. Writers Union, UAW Local 1981, Richmond, CA*
293. Rogelio Reyes, California Faculty Association, Calexico, CA *
294. Sergio Reyes, Co-Coordinator, Boston May Day Coalition
295. Marc Rich, Delegate, LA County Federation of Labor
296. Adam Ritscher, Douglas County Board Supervisor; Northland Anti-War Coalition
297. Lorena Rodriguez, International Partnership Coordinator of the Student Trade Justice Campaign, Duluth, MN/Montevideo, Uruguay
298. Mike Rogge, Co-Founder, Students Against War, College of St. Scholastica.
299. Al Rojas, Coordinator, FME (Front of Mexicans Abroad), Sacramento, CA
300. Emma Rosenthal, Los Angeles, CA
301. Martin Rosner, NY Social Activist
302. Donald Rucknagel, M.D., Ph.D., Cincinnati, OH
303. Barb Russ, Progressive Action, Duluth, MN
304. Carl Sack, Northland Anti-War Coalition, former Northland College Student Senator
305. Sacramento for Democracy, Sacramento, CA
306. Sundiata Sadiq, Former President, Ossining, NY NAACP
307. San Mateo County Central Labor Council AFL-CIO, Foster City, CA
308. Ajamu Sankofa, National Conference of Black Lawyers*, Brooklyn, NY
309. Tony Saper, ATU Local 1287 Representative to the Kansas City Regional Transit Alliance, Kansas City, MO
310. Evan Sarmiento, Outreach Coordinator, Greater Boston Stop the Wars Coalition
311. Renee Saucedo, Director, La Raza Centro Legal; Member, SEIU Local 1021, San Francisco*
312. Fred Schnook, former Mayor of Ashland, WI.
313. Ralph Schoenman and Mya Shone, Co-producers, Taking Aim-WBAI Radio-NY, Vallejo, CA
314. John Schraufnagle, Northland Anti-War Coalition, Superior, WI
315. Rodger Scott, Delegate and Past President, American Federation of Teachers Local 2121, City College of San Francisco
316. Mary Scully, member, Iraq Peace Action Coalition, Twin Cities
317. Steve Seal, UTLA Board of Directors/Chair, Human Rights Committee*, Los Angeles, CA
318. Vann Seawell, Assistant Director, UNITE HERE, Columbus, OH
319. Leonard Segal, UTLA Board of Directors, Northridge, CA
320. Rob Segovia-Welsh, Agriculture Rural Labor Inspector for the State of North Carolina
321. Dallas Sells, Director, Ohio State Council, UNITE HERE
322. Adam Shils, Vice-President, Aptakisc Education Association (NEA)*
323. Shura Council, Anaheim, CA
324. Joel Sipress, Duluth Area Green Party, former candidate for MN State Senate, Duluth, MN
325. Debbie Ginsberg Smith, Social Activist, New York
326. Michael Steven Smith, Co-Producer, Law and Disorder, WBAI radio
327. Socialist Action
328. Socialist Alternative
329. Socialist Organizer
330. Socialist Party, Boston
331. Socialist Party of CT
332. Socialist Party of Massachusetts
333. Socialist Viewpoint
334. Asiyahola Somburu, Co-Chair of the Emerging Black Leadership Symposium
335. Gary Sorenson, President of Veterans for Peace, Chapter 80
336. Mark Stahl, Event Coordinator, Rhode Island Community Coalition for Peace
337. Lynne Stewart, Lynne Stewart Organization, NY, NY
338. Judith Stoddard, First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco*
339. Hal Sutton, Member, UAW Local 1268 Retirees Chapter, Rockton, IL*
340. David Swanson, Washington Director, Democrats.com and of Impeachpac.org; Co-Founder, AfterDowningStreet.org
341. Shakeel Syed, Executive Director, Shura Council, Culver City, CA
342. Linda Thompson, Guilford Peace Alliance, AFSCME Retirees, CT United for Peace
343. Sara Thomsen, singer/songwriter, South Range, WI
344. Gale Courey Toensing, Editor, The Corner Report, NW CT and Member, Middle East Crisis Committee, CT*
345. Troy Area Labor Council, Troy, NY
346. UAW Local 292*
347. Imam Warith Deen Umar, Chaplain for 25 years in New York state prisons
348. U.S. Hands Off Venezuela
349. Utah Jobs with Justice, Salt Lake City
350. James E. Vann, Architect; Co-Founder, Oakland Tenants Union, Oakland, CA
351. Chuck Vaughn, UTLA Board of Directors, Pico Rivera, CA
352. Venezuela Solidarity Network
353. Veterans for Peace, Chapter 80
354. Veterans for Peace Chapter 118, Utah
355. Carlos Villarreal, Executive Director, National Lawyers Guild*, San Francisco Bay Area Chapter
356. Julie Washington, UTLA Elementary Vice President, Los Angeles, CA
357. Harvey Wasserman, Founder of Solartopia.org, Bexley, OH
358. WE Project, Los Angeles, CA
359. Carl Webb, Iraq War Veteran; Texas National Guard
360. Tegan Wendland, Douglas County Board Student Representative, WI
361. Coly Wentzlaff, Students for Peace, Univ. of Minnesota-Duluth
362. Don White, Peace and Justice Activist, Los Angeles, CA
363. Craig Wiesner, President, MicahsCall.org, Palo Alto, CA*
364. David Wilson, Nicaragua Solidarity Network of Greater New York*, NY,NY
365. Marcy Winograd, President, Progressive Democrats of Los Angeles*, Los Angeles, CA
366. Dorothy Wolden, Events Coordinator for the Northland Chapter of Grandmothers for Peace and former Douglas County Board Supervisor, WI
367. Women Against War, Capital District, New York
368. Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom – Peninsula Branch, Palo Alto, CA
369. Kent Wong, Founding President of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, Los Angeles, CA
370. Workers International League (Socialist Appeal)
371. Mark Wutschke, UTLA Board of Directors, Los Angeles, CA
372. Gustav Wynn, Writer & Contributing Editor, OpEd News, NY,NY
373. Carol F. Yost, Member, ADALAH-NY Coalition for Justice in the Middle East* Steering Committee Member, Private Health Insurance Must Go Coalition*
374. Youth for International Socialism
375. Marela Zacarias, Founder of Latinos Against the War, Hartford, CT