Entered into the database on Monday, March 20th, 2006 @ 13:26:24 MST
MARCH 18: The World Marches Against the War Across the Globe Thousands March to Say "Troops
Out Now!" Worldwide protests condemn U.S. occupation of Iraq (more photos below) Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets yesterday, the third anniversary
of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. The day saw demonstrations in more than 20 countries,
from South Africa to Iceland, and in dozens of cities across the U.S. In New York City, the day's events began at 11 am with local
protests at recruiting centers throughout the city, with more than 100 rallying
at the recruiting station in Harlem at 125th St. At 1:00 pm, more than 7,000 rallied in Times Square to demand the "immediate,
complete, unconditional" withdrawal of all occupying forces from Iraq.
After the rally in Times Square, they marched to the United Nations demanding
no war on Iran and that the survivors of Hurricane Katrina have the right of
return to New Orleans and the other devastated areas of the U.S. Gulf Coast. The New York rally, which was held near the infamous Times Square recruiting
station, was opened by Tiokasin Ghosthorse of First Voice Indigenous Radio.
The spirited rally filled more than two city blocks, with hundreds more joining
in for the march. Activists from BAYAN USA, the organization representing the
unified struggle in the Philippines against the corrupt puppet regime and against
US occupation, carried a banner, stretching nearly half a block that read "US
Troops Out of the Philippines." A large "Free Leonard Peltier"
contingent was also present, organized by the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee. Speakers included Charles Jenkins of the TWU; Elaine Brower, mother of a soldier
deployed to Iraq; Wael Musfar of the Arab Muslim American Federation; Nellie
Bailey of the Harlem Tenants Council; Brenda Stokely of the Million Worker March;
Elizabeth Zeiden of the Reproductive Rights Project of the ACLU; LeiLani Dowell,
of Queers for Peace & Justice; Professor Abbas Edelet, founder of CASMII-
the Campaign Against Sanctions and Military Intervention in Iran, taped messages
from political prisoners Mumia Abu-Jamal and Leonard Peltier, Sara Flounders
of the Stop War on Iran Campaign, Yoomi Jeong of the Korea Truth Commission,
Rebecca Rotzler of the Green Party, and many other representatives of local
and international struggles. Veterans, Military Families, and Katrina survivors organized a five-day march
from Mobile to New Orleans under the slogan, "From the
Gulf Coast to the Persian Gulf. Every bomb dropped on Iraq explodes in New Orleans."
The call to action for the event, 'Walkin to New Orleans,' said, "Military
families and veterans of Iraq, Vietnam and other military adventures, together
with hurricane survivors, intend to make that connection crystal clear on an
epic march down Gulf Coast Highway 90, heading into the heart of New Orleans
on the third anniversary of the war. The ongoing crisis on the Gulf Coast and
the connection that Dr. King made between the 'giant triplets of racism, militarism
and economic exploitation' will be impossible to ignore." In Chicago, thousands marched down North Michigan Avenue.
Organizers in the area have been in a long-standing struggle with the police
over their right to march down some of the cities most prominent streets, including
Michigan Avenue's "Miracle Mile." This year they finally obtained
a permit and this well-heeled neighborhood was the scene of a large and militant
protest, organized by a broad coalition of community, antiwar, and progressive
organizations. In San Francisco, in what may have been the largest demonstration
in the U.S., thousands of antiwar demonstrators demonstrated solidarity with
hotel workers who have been working without a contract, by marching to a nearby
hotel. Malik Rahim, a leader of Common Ground Relief in New Orleans, was the
rally's keynote speaker. In Los Angeles, thousands rallied at Hollywood & Vine
at 12 noon. Speakers included Fernando Suarez, father of a Marine killed in
Iraq; Pablo Paredes, a member of the US Navy who refused orders to deploy; Rep.
Maxine Waters; and actor Mike Ferrell. In Boston, a crowd of more than 3,000 marched demanding "“Stop
the violence, Stop the war at home and abroad!" Initiated by the Rosa Parks
Human Rights Day Coalition, March 18 activities in Boston began with a rally
in Roxbury in the heart of Boston’s Black community followed by a march
through various communities of color and then through the Downtown Crossing,
the major shopping district of Boston, and on to the State House. In Detroit, Hundreds marched up Woodward Avenue in the street
through the gentrified Detroit downtown. From old to young including disabled
activists in scooters and wheel chairs, the crowd said, "Bring the Troops
Home, Now!" and "Money for Our Cities, Not for War." The Troops Out Now Coalition, which helped organize demonstrations
throughout the U.S., issued a statement calling for the antiwar movement to
unite around the demand for an immediate, complete, unconditional withdrawal
of all occupying forces from Iraq. This statement says, in part, "The best way that the antiwar movement can mark the third anniversary
of the criminal war and occupation of Iraq is to unite around the demand for
an immediate, unconditional and complete withdrawal of all occupying troops
from Iraq. Immediate - not in 10 years or in six months--as soon as
it takes to put soldiers on planes and bring them home. Not waiting for the
"Iraqi" army to be trained or for the establishment of a government
subject to U.S. control, or for any other reasons that really only amount
to one thing: an excuse to justify and extend the occupation. Complete - not in phases, not with bases left behind, not
redeployment across the border, but a complete removal of all occupying forces
from all Iraqi territory. Unconditional - The Iraqi people have an absolute right
to govern themselves today, without any conditions imposed on them by Bush
and Halliburton. Political positions have a direct bearing on how a movement struggles,
or even if it engages in struggle at all. Adapting to a soft position,
like phased withdrawal or redeployment, gives people the message that there's
no need to mobilize on the streets to bring the troops home now--just wait
for the politicians to work out the details of the withdrawal. If the movement
were united around the demand for an immediate, complete, unconditional withdrawal,
this would elevate, intensify, and clarify the struggle against the war." Activists with the Troops Out Now Coalition made this demand --the immediate,
complete, unconditional withdrawal--the focus of March 18, and will continue
to raise this demand in the streets until all of the troops are home. Media Coverage of March 18 http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/03/19/war.protests.ap/ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/19/AR2006031900158.html http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/ http://www.boston.com/news/world/ http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/ http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-03/19/content_4317476.htm http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=176461170&p=y7646y876 http://www.forbes.com/business/healthcare/ http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/ http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1742488 Troops Out Now (MP3 audio) With Wael Mousfar, Arab Muslim American Federation; Nana Soul - Blackwaxx,
Artists and Activist United for Peace; Tiokasin Ghosthorse, First Voices Indigenous
Radio; and Sara Flounders, Troops
Out Now Coalition -- Troops Out Now Coalition _____________________________________ 100,000 March Against the War in
Italy Axis of Logic Three years after the start of the war against Iraq In Rome more than one hundred thousand people in the streets for peace.
But the mass media censors the news --- Just like that: the news disappeared from the mass media (and even from the
official internet sites of the most widely read newspapers). It was partially
due to the journalists' strike, but also for an information mechanism that does
not work and that uses censorship. And to think that it was on 10 March that
we had promoted to our national news company (RAI) and the mass media our campaign
called "Give voice to peace! 18 March 2006". Today, 18 March, in Rome more than one hundred thousand people have given voice
to the reasons of peace by marching against the war, without any incidents happening.
18 March is the third anniversary of the beginning of the war in Iraq. It was
an international day of activism, with marches and initiatives throughout the
world. But the news had clearly disappeared from the mass media. One can see
a brief report on RaiTre, but it is hardly anything, even if they are obligated
to say that there were "more than one hundred thousand people" and
that the march had "moved along without any incidents." I ask my dear friends who have marched in this demonstration to write your
reports on what for the mass media did not take place at all. But not only is peace censored: even the war is censored in the mass media. In Iraq, as a matter of fact, the United States Armed Forces have started a
new offensive. Carpet bombing is underway, in the area of Samarra, north of
Baghdad. It is a bombardment that the mass media have decided to put the silencer
on. Yet, it is claimed to be the most heavy bombardment in these three years, so
the experts say. 250 vehicles have entered into action, including airplanes
and helicopters. No one has information on the number of the victims and the
material damages. It is known that Baghdad has become a barricaded city and
it has been deserted. There are no images to show of this, and therefore, the war does not exist. Put that together with the march that had taken place, massive, but just like
the war, does not exist. For the pleasure of the Lords, obviously. Alessandro Marescotti ______________________________ Columbus Protests Third Anniversary of the War That Should Have Never
Been The Prissy Patriot Proof the media was there. There is no proof they had
film in the camera, judging by the 1 second blip shown on local news by the
so-called liberal media. Ohio Statehouse protestors Ohio Statehouse More middle America radicals Ohio Statehouse steps A self-identified former political inactivist... View from the Ohio Statehouse steps, there were about
500 more still marching. Either a "spy" (he was taking photos) or someone-perhaps
due to their job, who isn't supposed to take a political position. Call her
paranoid, but a white guy in Arab garb tends to make Prissy suspicious...especially
after hearing about "Protest Warriors for W" ... This t-shirt was a big seller from the World Can't Wait
folks. In fact, this was a picture of the last one! That's Duh-b-ya These two are typical, of the radicals against this
war... Feeling watched in Dubya's Amerikkka? Not to worry,
soon we shall return it to America-home of the free. Military Families Speak Out Dayton-the MFSO Central
Ohio Chapter was there too. The Central Ohio chapter sold "Bring them home
now" t-shirts, buttons and bumper stickers-sales were brisk! Just another radical from middle America. ______________________________ PHOTOS FROM THE ALBUQUERQUE PEACE MARCH Liberty or Death _____________________ PHOTOS FROM BOSTON MARCH AGAINST THE WAR MARCH 18, 2006 Parker Pettus ________________________________ Photos from the Peace Rally in San Francisco Civic Center
on March 18th. 2006. Flickr.com _________________________________ Photos from protest march in Portland Oregon MarshChapel.org
2006-03-19-3year-protests_x.htm?POE=NEWISVA
asia/articles/2006/03/19/anti_war_rallies
_mark_iraq_anniversary/
2006/03/19/ap/world/mainD8GEQ9A80.shtml
feeds/ap/2006/03/19/ap2605390.html
20060319-0843-iraqwarprotests.html
By Alessandro Marescotti
Mar 20, 2006, 12:54
http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_21494.shtml
presidente di PeaceLink
mailto:a.marescotti@peacelink.it>a.marescotti@peacelink.it
http://prissypatriot.blogspot.com/
http://crusaderbunnypants.blogspot.com/2006/03/tar-and-feather-heather.html
http://www.parkerpettus.com/march/index.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rogerjones/sets/72057594085171482/
http://www.marshchapel.org/images/v/?g2_page=1