Responding to the renewed threats of a U.S./Israeli attack on Iran before President Bush leaves office, national United for Peace and Justice calls for coordinated Days of Action across the United States on July 19-21. Now is the time to speak out against any U.S./Israeli military attack on Iran.
Please join UJP at 7:00 PM Wed, July 8 to help plan for Boston. AFSC, 2161 Mass Ave, in North Cambridge
It's a Slippery Slope to War Ask Your Rep to Oppose H.Con.Res.362
The U.S. House of Representatives is considering a new resolution that could effectively demand a blockade against Iran -- an act that would be widely seen as an act of war and could invite Iranian retaliation, possibly leading us into a shooting war.
Over the last three weeks, 77 House Democrats and 92 Republicans have agreed to cosponsor this resolution, but we think many do not realize its dangerous implications.
-include a call for no attack on Iran in any activities you are organizing to end the war in Iraq;
-call and ask your congressional representative (800-788-9372) to co-sponsor H.R. 5056 to appoint an envoy to Iran for the purpose of easing tensions and normalizing relations with Iran.
Wed July 8 Welcoming MA - Official Kick-Off Event Grand Staircase in the Statehouse, 11-noon,
“Massachusetts Welcomes You” Kick-Off Statewide Campaign Tuesday, July 8th at 11am on the Grand Staircase in the Statehouse.
-Let’s celebrate together in the spirit of solidarity. Reaffirm the true values of our commonwealth and our nation. -Let’s build together a giant human heart, please wear red or white clothing the day of the event! -Let’s work together to reaffirm, above all, the respect and dignity of every human being, including immigrants!
Welcoming Massachusetts is a campaign affirming Massachusetts as a Commonwealth that respects the dignity of all people: “...We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all [humans] are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
For more information please visit the campaign’s website: www.welcomingma.org, or contact
MIRA Coalition (617) 350-5480 x217 Jobs with Justice (617) 524-8085 To help organize in UJP, please contact Vicky Steinitz (vicky.steinitz@umb.edu) or Susan Lees (swlees@earthlink.net)
July 16: Winter Soldier, Eye-Witness Accounts of the Occupations Cambridge Friends Mtg Hse, 9 Longfellow Pk,
July 16: Hear and Support the Voices of Anti-War Veterans!
This past spring, Iraq Veterans Against the War gathered in Washington DC to give direct testimony about their war experiences and to disclose the realities of U.S. war policy in a public investigation called “The Winter Soldier Hearings.”
Their demand was clear: “Bring All the Troops Home Now – and Take Care of Them When They Get Here!”
Now it is time for us to take this powerful testimony and make sure it is seen far and wide in our communities, schools, churches and TV stations.
Join us on Wednesday evening, July 16th:
-to view some of the most powerful testimony given by the vets in Washington, -to find out how you or your group can help amplify the voices of these courageous soldiers and support their resistance,
-and to learn about the “Soldiers of Conscience Support Network” being organized by IVAW and allies in the Boston area.
7:00 PM on Wednesday, July 16th Cambridge Friends Meeting House 9 Longfellow Park (off of Brattle Street out of Harvard Square)
Sponsored by: New England United, United for Justice with Peace, Stop the Wars Coalition, Massachusetts Peace Action, and the American Friends Service Committee.7:00 PM
For more information on the event, call the AFSC at 617-497-5273. Learn more about IVAW and Winter Soldier at www.IVAW.org.
Welcoming Massachusetts A statewide immigrant rights' initiative
The Welcoming Massachusetts initiative is collecting 100,000 individual and 1,000 organizational pledges 'affirming Massachusetts as a commonwealth that welcomes and respects the dignity of all people'.
Welcoming Massachusetts is now gathering pledges from each legislative district in the commonwealth, building new partnerships among and across communities and constituencies, and layint the groundwork for a range of legislative victories. Welcoming Massachusetts will bring all of its petitions to the state legislature in the beginning of Jue so our state senators and representatives can affirm it principles too.
Sign the pledge and get everyone you know to sign too!! You may sign the pledge online at http://welcomingma.org, or sign a petition (e-mail swlees@earthlink.net for petitions.
Get any groups to which you belong or with which you work to endorse the pledge as well--neighborhood and religious organizations, unions, social clubs, teams, and so on.
Send or take signed pledges to Centro Presente, 64 Essex Street, Cambridge 02139, Attn Patrica Montes.
Stop the March to War with Iran Oppose Mass House Bill 4270!
CALL Rep. Robert DeLeo, chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, and Speaker of the House, Sal DiMasi. Tell them you do not want them to support a bill which adds fuel to the calls for an attack on Iran! Ask where they stand on the legislation.
If you are a state employee let them know that you understand the transaction fees on this bill will be more than $5 million, and you are concerned that this is negatively affecting your retirement fund.
Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee Robert DeLeo: 617-722-2990
Speaker of the House Sal DiMasi: 617-722-2500
 Please click on 'more' for full information about the bill and talking points!
'Not Our Country To Return To'
Inter Press Service <http://ipsnews.net/>
By Maki al-Nazzal and Dahr Jamail*
DAMASCUS, Mar 3 (IPS) - More Iraqis continue to flee their country than
the numbers returning, despite official claims to the contrary.
Thousands fleeing say security is as bad as ever, and that to return would be to accept death.
"Return to Iraq?" asks 35-year-old Ahmed Alwan, an Iraqi engineer now
working at a restaurant in Damascus. "There is no Iraq to return to, my
friend. Iraq only exists in our dreams and memories."
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported
September last year that there are between 1.2 and 1.4 million Iraqi
refugees in Syria alone.
Most, like Alwan, do not intend to return.
"I shall never return to Iraq until the last American soldier and
Iranian mullah leaves," Alwan says. "It is their country now, not ours.
The only thing that might take me back is when I decide to fight for
Iraq's real liberty." ..........
