In honor of Mother's Day 2005 and the orginal intent for the day as stated in Julia Ward Howe's Proclamation, the following counter-recruitment actions will be happening around the country: (Listed alphabetically by state)
Note: If you don't see your city or town listed here, you may find a Mother's Day event listed at www.notinourname.org under the events listing.
Arizona
Tucson
Take action independently: Go to your favorite brunch restaurant on Mother's Day morning and bring materials about keeping our sons and daughters out of the military. Download flyers about military myths and more from the CODEPINK website. (More on this event coming soon!)
For more information, contact Nancy Hill at pinktucson@cox.net.
California
East Los Angeles
Join Palisadians for Peace and CODEPINK in a Protest at a major Army Recruitment Center in East Los Angeles on May 7th, beginning at 11:00 A.M.
Plan on arriving at 10:30 A. M. with signs like "Recruit for College not for War" ("Reclute para la Universidad, no la Guerra") "Military Recruiters Lie" ("Los Reclutadores Militares dicen Mentiras"), "You're Just Another Sale," "Recruiters, Get out of East L.A. !" Counter-Recruitment brochures will be provided for distribution.
Please contact Sandra for more detailed information and instructions: ulisandra.paz@verizon.net.
Let's get this recruitment center out of East L.A. where so many young people sign up believing the false promises of recruiters, only discovering the truth when it's too late!
Menlo Park
The Peninsula Raging Grannies will be singing their bilingual counter recruiting compositions (click here to read them online and print them for your action!) in Spanish and English at:
Menlo Park Farmer's Market
University Ave near Menlo Ave.
Menlo Park CA
Date: Sunday May 8 (Mother's Day)
Time: 11:00 am
Contact for the Press: Granny Cell Phone. (650) 279-8761
Other notes about this action:
1. We will have a costumed re-enactor of Julia Ward Howe reciting the Mother's Day Proclamation.
2. Our Spanish speaking Grannies wanted me to sure and have you call it a bilingual action, as we will both sing and interview in Spanish.
Sacramento
General Congress of Women
Call to bring home California's National Guard from Iraq
WHEN: 4 p.m. Sunday, May 8th, 2005
WHERE: Vietnam War Memorial, Sacramento State Capitol Grounds
WHAT: This Mother's Day, California women are reclaiming the original sentiment of the holiday by demanding, "All we want for Mother's Day is the Troops home NOW!" in front of the Vietnam War Memorial at our state capitol grounds in Sacramento. Women will build on the sentiment of that first Mother's Day Proclamation, gathering to "bewail & commemorate the dead" and to "promote the general and great interests of peace" by calling for the return of California's National Guard Troops by Labor Day, 2005.
Cosponsors for this event include: Gold Star Families for Peace, Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors, Raging Grannies, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Grandmothers for Peace, Grey Panthers, and many more.
For more information, contact Sam Joi at 510.540.7007 or mzsam@bayareacodepink.org.
San Luis Obispo
Join with CodePink and the San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace on Mother's Day!
Event: MOTHER'S DAY PEACE VIGIL
Date: Sunday, May 8, 2005
Time: 5 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.
Place: Mission Plaza, San Luis Obispo
You, along with family and friends, are invited to join CodePink and Mothers for Peace to hear a reading of Julia Ward Howe's original Mother's Day Proclamation, in which she declared that "We women of one country will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs." Accordingly, she called for women to meet to "solemnly take counsel with each other as the means whereby the great human family can live in peace." The short reading will be followed by a silent vigil, after which the Proclamation will be read a second time. We will also have printed copies of the Proclamation available. This is a fitting way to express ourselves and to educate others on the best meaning of Mother's Day. If you have clothing or buttons that express your thoughts about peace, we encourage you to wear them. If you have any questions, contact Jane Swanson, Mothers for Peace (805) 595-2505, or Dian Sousa, CodePink (805) 528-8533.
San Francisco
RECRUIT FOR PEACE WALK AND RALLY
Join CODEPINK: Women for Peace and other groups and individuals on a lively and up-beat walk through San Francisco's media block, ending with a counter-recruitment rally at the U.S. Military Recruiting Office, 670 Davis Street, San Francisco.
Start: 1:00 p.m. at CBS-5, at 855 Battery at Broadway
Finish: U.S. Military Recruiting Office, 670 Davis Street
Date: Saturday, May 7
Speakers include: Aimee Alison/Conscientious Objector & Anti-War Activist, Eduardo Cohen/Veterans for Peace, Elizabeth Creely/Playwright, Cristina Gutierrez/Companeros del Barrio Children's Center, Member of the Haiti Action Committee, Vicki Leidner/Community Activist, Mark Sanchez/San Francisco Board of Education, Bonnie Weinstein/Bay Area United Against War, Blessing by Members of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and more.
Co-Sponsors include: Bay Area United Against War, Socialist Action, Youth Socialist Action, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom and many more.
Download the SF March and Rally Press Release here.
District of Columbia (Taxation Without Representation)
Air & Space Museum - show dissent to war and educate 1:15PM
Join CODEPINK, DAWN and other groups to shed light on and oppose the glorification of war in our society. This Saturday the government is celebrating Public Service Recognition Week which will include vast displays of military equipment on the Mall. Too often military funding is at the expense of the essential programs and services. Join CODEPINK and other DC activists outside the exit of the Smithsonian Metro Station at 1:15 PM to walk together with signs and flyers to the Air & Space Museum where the military installations will be. Many tens of thousands of people populate the Mall on the weekends from all over the world. It's a good opportunity to pass out literature on the cost of war and engage in conversations. We hope to see you there, signs and flyers ready. Download flyers on the cost of war and on counter recruitment for distribution.
Mothers Say NO! Don't Let Our Children GO! Following the action, DAWN will facilitate a meeting on local strategies to stop the draft, counter-recruitment and ending stop loss. Get involved in these important on-going actions. For more information call Ann Wilcox at 202 441 3265 or email dc@codepinkalert.org.
Nevada
Reno
Rally at the Army Recruitment Center
Saturday, May 7, from 1-2pm
Peaceful rally outside of the Reno branch of the Army Recruitment Center at 394 E. Moana
Bring signs music and friends
Sponsored by Reno Anti-War Coalition
contact 775 232-2823
AND, Sunday, May 8
Arise, all women who have hearts!
Brick Park, Reno NV just east of Java Jungle on 1st street
2pm-4pm
A gathering of Indigenous Singers, Scholars, Activists, Thespians, Artists, Cultural Workers, Clergy, Friends, Family, Allies..... Open Forum
New York
Ithaca
Mother's Day Vigil this Sunday, May 8.
Noon-1 p.m. in DeWitt Park
Contact info: Mary Loehr, 256-9733.
Peace, Salaam, Shalom!
New York City
CODE PINK NEW YORK MOTHER'S DAY FOR PEACE
Join Code Pink New York on Saturday, May 7th from noon to 1:30 p.m. for a Mother's Day peace protest outside the Armed Forces Recruiting Center on 125th Street in Manhattan.
There were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. There was no connection between Saddam and al-Queda. Tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians have died and the Iraqi people have no security and no freedom. Over 1,500 U.S. troops have been killed and more than 10,000 have been maimed and wounded.
We want our troops home now; we want more guidance counselors and fewer military recruiters in our high schools; we want money for health care, schools, libraries, day care centers and social services--not for an illegal and immoral occupation with casualties mounting by the day.
WE SAY, STOP THE KILLING NOW!
Saturday, May 7th
12-1:30 p.m.
Armed Forces Recruiting Center
76 W. 125th St.
south side of street, just east of Lenox Ave./Malcolm X Blvd
For more information contact Nancy at codepinknyc@hotmail.com
Illinois
Chicago
THIS IS AN EVENT THAT ALREADY HAPPENED THIS WEEK (stay tuned for news about how it went!): Join CODEPINK in supporting the Chicago community and taking action against unethical military recruitment tactics. We'll be at the Douglas Park Cinco de Mayo Festival (1401 S. Sacramento Drive) Thursday, May 5 from 4p.m. to 6p.m. So put on your pink, bring your signs and come out and meet us as we send a message to military recruiters and the public: Our youth deserve to go to college, not to war.
Michigan
Hillsdale
8:30 p.m., May 8: candlelight vigil in front of the court house, across from the military recruiting center. For more information, contact Trena Moss at onegirl@frontiernet.net. Read Trena's letter to the editor below:
Mother's Day started back in 1870 with Julia Ward Howe's Mother's Day Proclamation. It was a call to all Mothers to stand up for Peace. Why? Because there's not much stronger than a Mother's Love. It is also universal, everyone has a “Mom”, even if our time with them in this world is brief. The Mother's of our enemy love their children as much as our own Mother's love theirs. This Mother's Day my Mom and daughter will look down from Heaven to see me light a candle and say a prayer in hopes that no more Mom's have to know the pain of losing a child. I will be in front of the Hillsdale County court house at 8:30 pm in case anyone, ‘Moms' or not, would like to join me and ‘Light a Candle for Peace.'
Trena Moss
Ohio
Dayton
A Mother's Day for Peace
Recalling Julia Ward Howe's Vision for Mother's Day
Mother's Day, Sunday, May 8
2:00 to 3:30 pm
Cooper Park (behind the Main Library)
and the Library Auditorium
215 E. Third Street, Dayton
While President Wilson didn't proclaim Mother's Day until 1913, Julia Ward Howe (inspired by Anna Jarvis) called for women to unite with other mothers throughout the world in calling for a Mother's Day of Peace. In the spirit of our foremothers, join us in a celebration of motherhood and our interconnectedness with all children of the world. A mother is anyone who wants food, health care, education, safety and Peace, etc., for all children. We all share in common with everyone in the world a childhood. Let's join together and call for a world where all children can live in Peace.
Wear your brightly colored clothes and hats and bring your mother, your mother's child, or your children and grandchildren and enjoy fun activities for all ages. Bring cupcakes for your family to decorate, and a few to share. There will be face painting, a clown, sidewalk chalk art, a storyteller, and a cupcake decorating table and maybe even a kazoo band!
Julia Ward Howe will join us to share her Mother's Day Proclamation in the 2nd floor auditorium of the Library at 3 pm! In addition, there is an exhibit of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates currently on display in the library, and we will gather in the auditorium to pay special tribute to the women among those laureates, as well as other women of peace, near and far.
For more information, contact: daytonmothersforpeace@yahoo.com or (937) 275-0783.
Oregon
Ashland
Sunday, May 8
3:00 p.m.
Unitarian Fellowship
"Arise, then, Women of this day!"
-Julia Ward Howe
The REAL Meaning of Mother's Day
Shirley Patton
Members of the Peace Choir
Second Saturday Players
(A reading of Sharon Medhi's book,
The Great Silent Grandmother's Gathering)
Dancing the Heart
Paula Anema Sohl
Lisa and Nancy Spencer
Key of C musicians and Dancers
Sponsoring Organization:
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
Suggested donation $10.00
No one turned away for lack of funds
All proceeds go to Peace House
Newport
We will be having a vigil in front of the Army Recruiting Station on Hwy. 101. Between 12:00 & 1:00 P.M., we will stand, dressed in black with signs, in honor of ALL the lives lost in this immoral and illegal war.
Contact person: Ginger Gouveia ginger@actionnet.net
Washington
Seattle
THIS IS AN EVENT THAT ALREADY HAPPENED THIS WEEK (stay tuned for news about how it went!): In the spirit of STOPPING THE NEXT WAR NOW; Thursday, May 5 at 5:30 P.M. Medea Benjamin and CODEPINK Seattle will be at Garfield High School (400 23rd AVE, Seattle, WA 98122 RM 115) to present the Garfield High School PTSA with a PINK BADGE OF COURAGE, the CODEPINK award for courageous and peaceful action, recognizing their efforts to pass a resolution denying military recruiters access to the school campus.
Stand up with CODEPINK in supporting the Seattle community and the Garfield High School Parents Teacher Association for taking action against unethical military recruitment tactics being used on our children. Please join Medea and CODEPINK Seattle at Garfield High School before you head over to the EIliot Bay Book Co., it would be wonderful to have a crowd of pink at the PTSA meeting showing our support for the action they have taken to protest military recruiters preying on high school students and young adults! We must all unite to protect our children and tell recruiters to leave them alone; our youth deserve to go to college, not to war!
West Virginia
Charleston
Friday, May 6
Hosted by the West Virginia Patriots for Peace with their
Wall of Rememberance
Event details coming soon!
And beyond Mother's Day...
Upcoming Counter-Recruitment events:
California
Mountain View
Protest Wal-Mart's use of Military Recruiting Videos
Saturday, May 28th, 11am
Mountain View, CA Wal-Mart
Peninsula Raging Grannies, invite members ofVets for Peace and other counter recruiting groups to protest the regular showing of military recruiting videos at on Memorial Day weekend. We are also encouraging people in other parts of California and the rest of the country to form their own demonstrations.
Check website for published dates of the video showing at 2,600 Wal-Marts, so if folks want to organize a demo on other dates they can choose from those.
The recruiting videos run once an hour (at our Wal-Mart at 30 mins after the hour) so you may have to stand around awhile to see one. The easiest place to stand and watch will be the TV sales dept., although there are TV monitors with the spots throughout the store.
For more info:
http://www.PeninsulaRagingGrannies.org/upcoming.html
peninsula_raging_grannies@yahoo.com
These are actions done in advance of May 7th:
The following was sumbitted by Linda Wymore
from Quincy, CA:
[1] Our local paper is a weekly that comes out on Wednesdays. http://www.plumasnews.com/ Here is a letter to the editor I sent today:
Today's newspaper's special Celebrate Mom section featured 3 moms of servicemen who have recently served in the Iraq war. Are those the only moms who we celebrate? Is sending sons into war the only measure of patriotism? Certainly those moms are rightly proud of their sons, and they eloquently relayed their constant worry while they were in harm's way. I
found it ironic that 2 of the 3 enlisted in the emotional time following 9/11 and then wound up fighting in a war against a country that had nothing to do with 9/11. The third enlisted right after graduation because he didn't know what else to do. The decision to enlist is usually the first experience a young man or woman has with signing a contract, and I wonder how many of them would make the same decision if they really knew the "fine print." How many mothers worried how many stressful days and sleepless nights about their son's safety because of a decision made in haste, or after a masterful sales pitch from a recruiter? How many mothers grieve now because they lost a son or daughter to a war we didn't have to start? How many Iraqi mothers share their grief because they have loved ones among the estimated 100,000 deaths [mostly women and children] due to this unnecessary war? Perhaps as we celebrate Mother's Day it is worth rereading the original Proclamation of the first Mother's Day by Julia Ward Howe.
[2] Using the article "Recruitment Minefield" from Rethinkingschools.com
http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/19_03/recr193.shtml I highlighted the curriculum ideas, and attached a note showing how teaching students to critically analyze military recruiter's messages would address many of the Language Arts Standards from the CA Dept. of Education [see below for specifics]. My son who is a Senior in H.S. took them to two English
teachers and a History teacher who seemed quite receptive of the ideas. I took it to the District Superintendent to try to get him to encourage teachers throughout the district to take use the ideas in the article. If you want to see
the Language Arts Standards addressed [CA standards] go to
http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/enggrades11-12.asp (NOTE: currently site is down.)
I figured this activiey addressed:
Reading standards: 2.0, 2.1 - 2.6
Writing standards: 1.2 - 1.5, 2.2a-e
Listening & Speaking standards: 1.1 - 1.3, 1.12 - 1.14, 2.3d-e (and maybe others)
[3] I shared [1] with the people on the listserve of the local democratic club (in case it doesn't get published in the paper
[4] I will email [1] and my son already gave [2] to the pastor of our church
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