FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Coalition of Veterans and Peace Activists Mark Iraq War's 8th Anniversary this Saturday with Increased Civil Disobedience at the White House
Stop the wars! Expose the lies! Free Bradley Manning!
U.S. war economy at root of state budget crises
Contact:
Medea Benjamin, (415) 235-6517
WASHINGTON, DC — A rally at 12 noon, March 19, in Lafayette Park, across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House, will feature Daniel Ellsberg; Ralph Nader; Ann Wright, retired Army colonel and diplomat who resigned over the 2003 Iraq invasion; writer Chris Hedges; CODEPINK Women for Peace co-founders Medea Benjamin and Jodie Evans; and representatives of four national antiwar veterans organizations.
A broad coalition of U.S. military veterans consisting of members of Iraq Veterans Against the War, March Forward!, Vietnam Veterans Against the War and Veterans For Peace will gather at the White House in solidarity to demand peace. The veteran-led action will be supported by a large array of activist groups including Fellowship of Reconciliation, CODEPINK, Voters for Peace, United for Peace and Justice, ANSWER, World Can't Wait, Peace Action, United National Antiwar Committee, and the War Resisters League.
The demonstrators make three demands of the Obama administration: Stop the wars, expose the lies, and free accused WikiLeaks whistleblower Bradley Manning.
At 11 AM, CODEPINK Women for Peace will join with activists from the peace and social justice community for a Women Say No to War Rally. The event will feature CODEPINK's co-founders, Terry O' Neil, President of the National Organization for Women, Linda Leaks of Empower DC, visionary activist Caroline Casey, and others. There will be live music from DC's all women a capella group, Songrise.
Immediately following the rally in Lafayette Park and a short march, the military veterans will lead peace activists in a nonviolent civil resistance action, similar to one in December when 131 people were arrested at the White House fence.
WHAT: Women Say No to War Rally in Lafayette Park, march, and civil disobedience led by veterans at the White House
WHEN: Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 11:00 AM
WHERE: Lafayette Park (in front of the White House)
On Sunday, March 20, members of many of these groups will go to Quantico, Va., for a rally at 2 pm to support Pfc. Bradley Manning.
CODEPINK is a women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement working since 2002 to end U.S. funded wars and occupations, to challenge militarism globally, and to redirect our resources into health care, education, green jobs and other life-affirming activities. Won't you join us? For more info, visit www.codepink.org.
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Video of Dec. 16 civil resistance - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOde31QYbI0
From 'Liberation' to Occupation: 10 Reasons Iraq Was No Cakewalk - http://huff.to/eEJcud
by Medea Benjamin and Charles Davis, Huffington Post | 
