ANSWER Coalition heavily fined for putting up posters: Take Action

From The A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition:

"We will not pay one penny for our First Amendment rights"

"We want to thank the thousands of people who have called or e-mailed -- and are still calling and e-mailing -- government authorities in support of the ANSWER Coalition which was hit with $10,000 in fines on Monday. The government has said it is sanctioning us for putting up political posters calling for the September 15 March on Washington to end the war in Iraq. By mounting a political and legal challenge, we can succeed in defending our First Amendment rights and overcome all the obstacles that are being used to try to disrupt the organizing for the September 15 Mass March on Washington, which will be led by Iraq war veterans and their families.

The ANSWER Coalition will not pay one penny to the government for our First Amendment rights or to stave off their threats against us. We are working with the expert constitutional rights attorneys at the Partnership for Civil Justice to determine our next steps for legal action against this government harassment and attempted repression. With the help of thousands of individuals and other organizations around the country who value free speech rights, we are continuing and intensifying the political struggle. We need every one who has not written or called the government to do so, and if you have done so already please get a friend to do so as well.

We do not own the radio and television airwaves or the big newspapers which are the corporate propaganda outlets for the war machine. All we have is our constitutional and fundamental right to express our point of view individually and collectively, with our words, our writings and in mass assembly. We will not let the government infringe on these rights that are important to all of us. Perhaps Bush and Cheney and the Pentagon brass don't want to have to see posters calling for the end to the criminal war in Iraq when they are driven in their limousines around Washington, D.C. But people are making sure that they can't hide from the demands of the anti-war movement which is the majority sentiment in the United States. Maybe they don't want to see thousands of people marching in the streets led by Iraq War Veterans and their families coming together with the Arab and Muslim community, students and labor in a powerful and united showing of opposition, but people are making sure that on September 15, the demand to end the war rocks Washington.

Take Action!

"The best way to take action is to call the Director of Department of Public Works, William O. Howland, Jr. at 202-673-6833, and the Mayor of DC, Adrian Fenty, at 202-724-8876. You can also send a letter or fax by clicking this link."