Organizations Unite Around
September 15 March on Washington
and Plan "Days of Action"
A broad spectrum of national groups have united to mobilize for a massive fall anti-war mobilization called the Days of Action. September 15-21 will be a major showdown in Washington DC at the very moment that the Petraeus Report is released and Congress takes up spending over $100 billion to prolong the war. Launched with a huge March on Washington on Saturday, September 15, led by veterans who have returned from Iraq, there will be seven days of actions to send a shockwave through Washington and the nation with the reverberating demand: End the War Now!
At the July 18 planning meeting held in Washington DC, representatives from Veterans for Peace (VFP), Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW), Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation, National Council of Arab Americans, CODEPINK, Grassroots America, Democracy Rising, Howard University student leaders, ImpeachBush.org, National Lawyers Guild, ANSWER Coalition and others came together to plan a powerful mobilization at this critical moment to bring the war to an end. The groups have all agreed to bring their respective constituencies together and at the meeting made plans for the September 15 March on Washington DC. The march will be led by veterans returned from Iraq and their families, and will include a major and dramatic die-in of thousands. It will be followed by days of protest and direct action which will take place in Washington DC and elsewhere from September 16-21.
On July 18, Cindy Sheehan was on the road in the middle of her Journey for Humanity March, but she too will be with us in Washington DC on September 15. U.S. Labor Against the War (USLAW) and others in the labor movement are also supporting the September 15 action. Malik Rahim of the Common Ground Collective in New Orleans, Ramsey Clark, Howard Zinn, Campus Anti-War Network, and hundreds of other organizations and prominent leaders are also involved in the September 15 March on Washington.
It was decided at the July 18 planning meeting that all organizations would work within a unified structure and framework, and that different organizations would provide leadership and act as the anchor for different parts of the September 15-21 actions. A website has been created to promote the September 15 March and all the other activities that will be organized in Washington DC between September 15-21: www.Sept15.org. An invitation is also open to all other organizations to join in this coalition or to endorse the activities.
Based on the decisions at the July 18 planning meeting and follow-up discussions among the various organizations, the following calendar of events lays out the schedule for September 15-21:
Saturday, September 15
Mass March on Washington & Die-In led by Iraq Veterans
- People will begin assembling at the White House in the late morning. There will not be an opening rally. A march will form with the front contingent of Iraq war veterans, family members of soldiers and marines, and other veterans. When the march arrives at Congress, the Iraq Veterans Against the War and family members will be the leadership of a mass die-in symbolizing the deaths of an estimated 4,000 U.S. servicemembers. A powerful representation of the death of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis will be the other central component of this dramatic confrontation with Congress at the time that they will be debating spending another $100 billion to sustain the criminal occupation of Iraq.
- The Die-In is a civil disobedience action that will involve at least 4,000 people who are able to risk arrest.
- There will be a permitted rally taking place simultaneously with the Die-In. All those who cannot afford to risk arrest will be able to participate in the permitted rally that will take place on the West Lawn of the Capitol Building.
Sunday, September 16
National Training Session for the other Days of Action
This will be a national meeting that will take place in Washington DC for all those who can remain in DC following the September 15 Mass March and Die-In. This will be a practical preparation for the actions on Monday, September 17 through Friday, September 21. This will be for everyone who can participate in one or more of the follow-up Days of Action.
Monday, September 17
Peoples March Inside Congress
Assemble at 9:00 am in the cafeteria of the Rayburn House Office Building (House of Representatives). The lead organizing group for this action is CODEPINK.
Monday, September 17
National Truth in Recruiting Day
In Washington DC, people will dispatch in teams to recruitment centers to tell the truth and counter the lies of the recruiters. Teams will dispatch from 7 am to 1 pm at Union Station in Washington DC. For those who have had to return to their cities, actions will take place all day long at local recruitment centers. The lead organizing group for this action will be Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW). [Read a letter from Adam Kokesh of Iraq Veterans Against the War about the National Truth in Recruiting Day.]
Tuesday, September 18
Congressional Challenge Day
A broad spectrum of people from around the country will fill the halls and offices of Congress to tell members of Congress to stop funding the war right now. The lead organizing group for this action is Grassroots America. Tina Richards, mother of Iraq war veteran Cloy Richards and CEO of Grassroots America, writes that September 18 "is the day we throw the gauntlet down. We will challenge our government to fulfill the mandate of the people. We do not want a new direction into Iraq as Senate Leader Reid and Speaker Pelosi is fond of saying. We will tell them: 'End the War NOW!' So join me on September 18, 2007, as we challenge our leaders to do the will of the American people." [Read a letter from Tina Richards about the Congressional Challenge Day.]
Wednesday, September 19
Direct Action
More details coming soon.
Thursday, September 20
Veterans lobbying day
More details coming soon. The lead organizing groups for this action will be Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW).
Friday, September 21
National Moratorium Day
Actions will take place around the country. Information: IraqMoratorium.org.
Be sure to check out www.Sept15.org!
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Be sure to check out www.Sept15.org!
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