Stop the Occupation!
Bring the IA Guard Home
No Business As Usual
Direct Action at STARC Armory -
The Iowa Pentagon Building.
Nov 15 & 16
Plan to attend the Saturday Nov 15th State Wide Anti War and
Occupation Conference and a Sunday Nov 16th legal demonstration and
direct action at the STARC Armory in Johnston IA.
The Saturday Conference at the Olmstead Center, Drake University at
28th and University Ave in Des Moines. The Drake Chapter of the
National Layers Guild hosts the Conference. There will be workshops in
the morning. Nonviolence Training and Direct Action (Civil
Disobedience) planning will be held in the afternoon. There is an
evening program with John Farrell, an Iowan from Voices in the
Wilderness, just recently returned from Iraq, as main speaker. See
Voices in the Wilderness web page
www.vitw.org.
The Sunday Legal Demonstration and Direct Action (Civil Disobedience)
starts at noon across the street from the main gate at the STARC
Armory at 7700 NW Beaver Dr, Johnston IA. Any one considering doing
direct action (risking arrest) must attend the nonviolence training
and direct action planning session, Sat Nov 15th at Drake.
The STARC Armory is the Headquarters of the Iowa National Guard
dubbed the IA PENTAGON BUILDING. It was the site of an Anti War demo
in which 16 people were arrested last March 22nd.
Hospitality available. Participants are welcome to spend Friday night
Nov 14 and Saturday night Nov 15 at the Des Moines Catholic Worker. If
you will need a bed or any other special considerations please call
the Catholic Worker ahead of time. (515) 243-0765
Nov 15 Saturday Conference Schedule
All Sat’s events take place at the Olmstead Center at Drake
University, 28th and University Ave. DM.
8:30 am Registration
9:30 am - 10:30 am Workshops
#1 The Veterans For Peace (VFP) Iraq Water Project. Discussion of the
ongoing effort to supply drinking water to the Iraqi people by the
Veterans For Peace organization. Chante Wolf will give the workshop.
Chante Wolf is an Air Force Vet of the first Persian Gulf War in 1991.
She left the military under an early out program and has been an
active member of VFP in Mpls MN.
#2 Roots of Terrorism The barbarism of terrorism is inseparably
connected to the barbarism of a global economy that grants vast wealth
and power to a few, while condemning billions to material deprivation
and economic insecurity. In this workshop we shall examine some of
the economic mechanisms perpetuating this second form of barbarism.
Presented by Tony Smith IA State Uni and author of Technology and
Capital in the Age of Lean Production.
#3 Palestine / Israel – To Talk about the Palestinians. This workshop
focuses on how to present the Palestinian case for peace with justice
and includes practice opportunities on how to dissent in favor of the
Palestinian people. Lead by Betsy Mayfield from Axiom Media in Ames
<<>. Betsy is a long time advocate for the Palestinian people and the
Lebanese-American Uni. Beirut Lebanon representative the last seven
years.
11 am - noon Workshops
#1 Panel discussion about why veterans should be against this and any
war. Presentations by Twin Cities VFP member Chante Wolf, and former
combat Marine Bob Watson. Bob Watson is a disabled Vietnam veteran,
member of Disabled American Veterans, VFW and a candidate for Iowa’s
2004 U.S. Senate seat.
#2 Pax Americana. Discussion of U.S. foreign policy aims since 1990,
with special emphasis on post-September 11 and the relation between
military and economic imperialism. Tom is a professor of Spanish at
the University of Iowa and Latin America editor of the International
Socialist Review.
#3 Civil Disobedience, An American Tradition by Frank Cordaro, Des
Moines Catholic Worker. Frank Cordaro is cofounder of the DMCWer and
has been a nonviolent resister to war over the last 27 years. He has
served 44 months of jail time for his acts of civil disobedience.
Noon - Lunch
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. *Nonviolence Training
3:30 p.m. - 6 p.m. *Direct Action Planning
* Anyone participating in the Sunday Direct Action will need to attend
both the Nonviolence Training and Direct Action Planning
7:30 p.m. Evening Program - Speaker John Farrell from Voices in the
Wilderness. John is an Iowan just recently returned from Iraq. See
Voices in the Wilderness web page
www.vitw.org.
Nov 16 Sunday Legal Demo and Direct Action
AM - Final details and decision making for Direct Action
Noon - Rally and Legal Demo across the street from the main gate of
STARC Armory, 7700 NW Beaver Dr, Johnston IA.
*Direct Action component is a separate matter, details yet to be
worked out. Any one considering doing the direct action must attend
the Nonviolence Training and Direct Action Planning sessions on Sat
Nov 15th.
*Every one participating in the legal demonstration and in the direct
action effort must adhere to the following nonviolent guidelines:
We everyone participating in Sunday’s Demo and Direct Action to
reflect upon and respect these commitments to nonviolence during the
demo.
Accordingly ---- We will carry no weapons. -- We will not vandalize.
-- We will not use or carry alcohol or illegal drugs. -- We will not
swear or use insulting language. -- We will not run in public or
otherwise make threatening motions. -- We will not assault -- either
verbally or physically -- those who oppose or disagree with us...even
if they assault us. We will protect those who oppose us from insult or
attack. -- We will honor the emergency decisions of the empowered
coordinators and organizers of the demo. -- Our attitude as conveyed
through words, symbols and actions will be one of respect toward all
-- including police officers, military personnel, members of the
larger community, and all demonstrators, friends and foes alike. -- If
prosecuted we will use the judicial process to continue our
resistance. Where possible, we will put the US illegal, unjust and
immoral occupation of Iraq on trial.
For more information contact:
Frank Cordaro - Catholic Worker,
Patti McKee - Iowa Peace Network,
Brian Terrell - Catholic Peace Ministry,
Sherry Hutchison - DM Women's International League for Peace and
Freedom
ph (515) 243-0765 cell # 490-2490
E-mail cordaro@mchsi.com
Ph (515) 255-7114
E-mail ipnet@earthlink.net
Ph (515) 255-8114
E-mail b.d.terrell@att.net
Ph (515) 244-2753
E-mail sherryhutc@aol.com
