Five Years Too Many: anti-war actions

I just received this e-mail from NYC-United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ)

Dear Friends,

In conjunction with the national call for activities to mark the 5th anniversary of the war, NYC-UFPJ is planning a week of activity beginning with Winter Soldier events March 13-16 and culminating with RIVER TO RIVER: STAND UP FOR PEACE on Saturday, March 22.

On Saturday, March 22, we are calling New Yorkers to join us to form a human chain along 14th Street from Avenue A to 11th Avenue. We will gather all along 14th Street at noon and STAND UP FOR PEACE until 1:00 p.m. Then both ends will march towards each other to converge in Union Square for a short rally (permit pending).

Bring your friends, your children, your neighbors, your signs and banners.

The occupation of Iraq has taken an enormous toll on US servicepeople and their families and on the Iraqi people. And as we all know, it has also taken a huge toll on our communities. Imagine what the $490 billion already spent ($16 billion of that from New York City alone) could buy in affordable housing, services for seniors and people with HIV, resources for our schools, college scholarships and job training programs! We want to highlight these local costs of war with our signs and our leaflets to urge New Yorkers to take an active stand against this war!

In the next couple of weeks, there will be fliers to download and stickers that can be picked up at the UFPJ office so that we can all work together to spread the word!

On Wed. March 19, we are also calling for actions in neighborhoods and congressional districts all over the city. This is a time for all of us to become organizers, to reach out to those people who we know are against the war, but who have not yet joined us on the street. Gather together 10 or 20 of your neighbors for a candlelight vigil, a street phone-a-thon to Congress, a meeting with your congressperson or a roving sidewalk funeral procession. The Granny Peace Brigade will be at the Times Square Recruiting Station knitting sock coverings for veterans who have lost limbs. Westside Peace Action will join with others in a walk from W. 86th St to Columbus Circle. Add your event to the growing list of actions around the country! Be sure to post your event at www.5yearstoomany.org so that others can join you and we can help to publicize it!

5 years of death and destruction cannot continue! Let's join together to bring it to an end!

Peace,
Leslie Kielson
NYC-UFPJ Coordinator