There is a growing movement throughout the United States
in opposition to the Bush Administration’s plans for
all-out war against Iraq. We encourage you to join this effort
by taking as many of the following steps as possible:
1) Your representative in the House and your two Senators
can be called at their district or home offices. In addition,
call them in Washington, DC. The Congressional switchboard
is 1-800-839-5276.
2) Organize a delegation to visit your representative, or
their foreign policy aide, in person.
3) Call the White House comment line at 1-202-456-1111.
1) Call radio talk shows see if you or someone else
might be invited as a guest on such shows.
2) Write letters to the editor of your newspapers. Explain
why you oppose war against Iraq.
3) Explore the possibility of a guest editorial or opinion
piece. Newspapers are sometimes willing to print submissions
by community leaders and prominent people.
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Here is a list of some of the many groups working to stop
a war against Iraq. These are national organizations, which
can provide information and organizing ideas, as well as
contacts in your idea.
American Friends Service
Committee (AFSC)
A group with regional and local offices across the country,
AFSC is active on a number of social justice issues, but
its roots are in the pacifist Quaker church ("Friends")
and they are always eloquent and effective opponents of
war. www.afsc.org, 215-241-7000, 1501 Cherry St., Philadelphia
PA 19102.
Central
Committee for Conscientious Objection (CCCO)
The nation's best source of information and counseling for
Selective Service registrants, enlistees, and active military
personnel seeking information on their options if they don't
want to fight. www.objector.org, 1-888-231-2226 (toll-free),
630 20th St., Ste. 302, Oakland CA 94612.
Education
for Peace in Iraq Center (EPIC)
Organizing against sanctions and military action since the
end of the Gulf War 11 years ago. 1101 Pennsylvania Ave
SE, Washington, DC 20003 www.epic-usa.org tel: 202-543-6176
fax: 202-543-0725
Fellowship of
Reconciliation (FOR)
The nation's oldest pacifist group, the Fellowship is an
interfaith ecumenical outfit founded, nationally and internationally,
in 1917 to oppose World War I. They're still at it, and
are active on a variety of issues — including, in
recent years, Iraq sanctions — but resisting war is
foremost among them. www.forusa.org, 845-358-4601, 521 N.
Broadway, Nyack NY 10960.
Global
Exchange
A human rights organization dedicated to promoting environmental,
political, and social justice around the world. Since 1988,
has been working to increase global awareness among the
US public while building international partnerships around
the world. 2017 Mission Street #303 San Francisco, CA 94110
www.globalexchange.org tel: 415-255-7296 fax: 415-255-7498.
International
Action Center (IAC)
Ramsey Clark is a prominent spokesperson with this organization.
They've called for a "National Day of Action"
and a large protest in Washington D.C. on Oct. 26, the weekend
before elections. www.iacenter.org, 212-633-6646, 39 W.
14th St. #206, New York NY 10011.
National Network to End the
War Against Iraq (NNEWAI)
Includes scores of national and local groups working to
stop this war. To sign up for Iraq Update, a mothly e-digest,
or Iraq-Meet, a listserve for US activists opposing war
and sanctions against Iraq, write to: nnewai@usa.com
. Be sure to mention your name, city and organization. National
Network, 457 Kingsley Ave, Palo Alto, 94301 (650) 326-9057
www.endthewar.org
National War Tax Resistance
Coordinating Committee
The nation's best clearinghouse for information, counseling,
and local contacts for those interested in refusing to pay
for war. NWTRCC offers a realistic assessment of the risks
of not paying income and other federal taxes — and
the risks, especially moral, of paying them. www.nwtrcc.org,
1-800-269-7464, P.O. Box 6512, Ithaca NY 14851.
Not In Our Name
Organizing local "National Days of Action" on
the weekend of Oct. 6 - 7, the anniversary of the beginning
of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, with a major rally
planned for NYC on 10/6. NION coordinated a full page ad
in the NY Times and has gathered over 4,000 signatures from
around the nation. www.notinourname.net.
Pax Christi USA
A Catholic peace with over 200 local groups scattered across
the country. www.paxchristiusa.org, 814-453-4955, 532 W.
8th St., Erie PA 16502.
Peace Action
Focus on lobbying combined with grassroots activism, and
lots and lots of members. The group is planning a march
on Sun., Sept. 29 in Washington D.C., followed by Congressional
lobbying on Monday. www.peace-action.org, 202-862-9740,
1819 H St., Ste. 420 & 425, Washington DC 20006.
Voices In The
Wilderness
Has been at the forefront in challenging Iraq sanctions:
delivering donated food, medical, and public health supplies
to Iraqis in regular defiance of the U.S.-led embargo, collecting
the stories of the Iraqis and bringing those images back
to America. Nobody is better equipped to describe what the
U.S. has already done to the Iraqi people, and what further
war would do. www.nonviolence.org/vitw, 773-784-8065, 1460
W. Carmen Ave., Chicago, IL 60640.
War Resisters League
(WRL)
The nation's oldest secular pacifist group, founded in 1922
in the wake of World War I. Like FOR, it has both an international
network — War Resisters International — and
local groups and contacts. "War is a crime against
humanity." www.warresisters.org, 202-228-0450, 339
Lafayette St., New York NY 10012.
Women's International League
for Peace and Freedom
WILPF is one of the oldest peace organizations in the country
and while it's not very active in some cities, it's very
active in others, bringing the wisdom of women not just
as the people most likely to suffer in any war but the people
most likely to stop it. www.wilpf.org, 215-563-7110, 1213
Race St., Philadelphia PA 19107.
WEB SITES
For additional information visit the following websites.
Institute for Policy Studies New Internationalism Project
www.ips-dc.org
War Times
www.war-times.org
Progressive Portal your internet starting point
for progressive activism
www.progressiveportal.org
Z Magazine
www.znet.org
