LI Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives and The Shelter Rock Forum
Present
NATIONAL INSECURITY—AMERICA AT A CROSSROADS:
OUR CHALLENGE AND OPPORTUNITY IN 2008
With
TOM ANDREWS
National Director, Win Without War
Thursday, May 15, 2008, 7:30 p.m.
Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock
48 Shelter Rock Road, Manhasset
Suggested donation: $5
The wisest course for the U.S. in the war in
Iraq involves a prompt withdrawal of troops and an unequivocal
declaration that the government has no intentions of maintaining
a long-term military presence. Tom Andrews is presently spearheading
a campaign to stop the funding of the military occupation of Iraq.
Tom Andrews is National Director of Win Without
War, a coalition of 40 national organizations representing broad
constituencies that advocate that international cooperation and
enforceable international law provide the greatest security for
the United States and the world. He was previously a member of
the House of Representatives from Maine.
Co-Sponsors: Great Neck SANE/Peace
Action, Code Pink LI, LI Veterans for Peace, Pax Christi LI, and
the Social Justice Committee of UUCSR
Directions to UUCSR: From LIE,
exit 35 north (from east) or 36 (from west). North 1-1/2 miles
on Shelter Rock Rd. Entrance on left by white fence. From Northern
Blvd. Go South 1/2 mile on Shelter Rock Rd. Entrance on right.
For more information: LI Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives,
516-741-4360
www.longislandpeace.org
UUCSR Shelter Rock Forum 516-627-6560, ext 122
CALL
REP - NO to $178 Billion for WAR
A
Time to Remember
Peace Procession
Jones
Beach
May
24, 2008
The
American people dedicated Memorial Day as a time to mourn the
victims of war.
In that spirit, Pax Christi LI invites you to gather with Long
Island peace groups at Jones Beach from 10 AM until noon on Saturday
May 24, for a solemn procession and recitation of the names of
Americans and Iraqis who have been killed in the war.
We
will assemble at the western end of Parking Field 2, which faces
the ocean. As we process east toward the needle and the main mall,
we will pause at intervals along the boardwalk to read the list
of names. Everyone is welcome to participate in this peace action.
PLEASE WEAR THE 4000+ t- SHIRT IF YOU HAVE ONE.
THE SHIRT WILL HELP TO CLARIFY OUR MESSAGE.
(T-shirts are available from the LI Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives.
$5 each. Call 516-741-4360 or e-mail lipeace@verizon.net)
There is a fee of $ 8 OR $ 9 per car to enter the Parking Field
Further information email PaxChristi.LongIsland@verizon.net
LONG ISLAND TAX BILL FOR IRAQ WAR
$10.8 BILLION SO FAR
The war in Iraq that has lasted more than five
years has cost Nassau taxpayers $5.5 Billion so far. Suffolk taxpayers
have paid $5.3 Billion. .........
Two Arrested at Demonstration
Marking 4000th U.S. Death
On Saturday, March 29, more than 200 Long Islanders
gathered on Route 25 in front of the Smithhaven Mall in Lake Grove
in a peaceful demonstration to mark the tragic milestone of the
4000th U.S. fatality in the Iraq War. The demonstration, which
was coordinated by the Suffolk Peace Network, drew people from
both from both Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Many in attendance
wore t-shirts that stated, “4000 troops—1 million
Iraqis—DEAD” on the front, and “ENOUGH!”
on the back. The shirts also had a few red blotches to represent
blood. The response from passersby was overwhelmingly supportive,
with many drivers heeding the sign “Honk for peace.”
A group of people, wearing the t-shirts, went inside the mall
to support Susan McKeon as she read the names of the fallen. Mall
security personnel asked Susan to leave the mall. When she declined,
she was arrested. Among the group were Deacon Don Zirkel and his
wife Marie, members of Pax Christi LI. While sitting in the food
court having a cup of coffee and a snack, Deacon Zirkel was asked
by mall security to take off his t-shirt. He declined and was
eventually arrested by the Suffolk County Police. Because he chose
to passively resist the arrest, the police placed him in a wheelchair
and wheeled him outside to a waiting police car. Mall management
has stated that they cannot allow the “pleasant atmosphere”
of the mall to be disrupted by demonstrators. Court dates for
both McKeon and Zirkel have been set for May 22.
News articles:
“Peace rally planned Saturday in Lake Grove”
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/ny-lirally0327,0,4386191.story
“At 80, a new milestone”
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/nassau/ny-liwar305631629mar30,0,1085417.story
“War at the mall: Has it a place?”
http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-e5636082apr03,0,4478150.story
Long Island Says: 5 YEARS TOO MANY
Local Coverage
NASSAU COUNTY DAY OF ACTIONS MARKING THE
5th
ANNIVERSARY OF THE IRAQ WAR A GREAT SUCCESS
People holds signs at Old Country Road during the
Five Years In Iraq rally in Garden
City on Wednesday, March 19, 2008. (Newsday/Ana P. Gutierrez /
March 20, 2008)
In
Nassau County, our day of actions to mark the 5th anniversary
of the Iraq war began with a press conference at the Supreme Court
Building in Mineola. Margaret Melkonian, co-director of the Long
Island Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives, opened with a statement
about the war and its tragic costs in terms of lives and dollars.
She was followed by Ed Ciaccio, Queens/Nassau MoveOn Council,
who read a statement from MoveOn's New Priorities Campaign; Sue
Donnelly, Code Pink Long Island, who spoke about what she witnessed
at the Winter Soldier hearings; and Sister Mary Beth Moore, Pax
Christi Long Island, who read the “LI Clergy and Religious
Against the War” statement, which has thus far been signed
by more than 100 local religious leaders. Reverend Ben Bortin
of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock and
Habeeb Ahmed of the Islamic Center of Long Island also spoke.
The press conference was covered by News 12 Long Island, WCBS
radio, a photographer from Newsday, and the Regional News Network
(RNN).
In the afternoon groups of people visited the offices of Reps.
Steve Israel (CD 2), Peter King (CD 3), and Carolyn McCarthy (CD
4) They met with staff to deliver the message, “End the
war and bring the troops home now.” The delegations left
packets of information for the representatives, including facts
and figures about the cost of the war to taxpayers in each of
LI’s five Congressional districts. Later in the day Rep.
Gary Ackerman (CD 5) joined us at our peace vigil in Garden City.
[Suffolk groups plan to visit Rep. Tim Bishop (CD 1) within the
next few weeks.]
At
5 p.m., more than 200 Long Islanders came out in the rain to call
for an end to the war and for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from
Iraq. We gathered on Old Country Road in Garden City, in our raincoats
or under umbrellas, in a peaceful vigil to mark the 5th anniversary
of the war. There were 8-year-olds and 80-year-olds; students
from several local colleges and universities; and citizens from
the North and South Shores as well as places in between. As people
stood with soggy signs, an occasional song or chant would break
out. There were many honks of support from cars and buses passing
by. Congressman Gary Ackerman joined us for awhile— the
first LI representative to stand with us against the war. The
mood was serious, yet hopeful. On Long Island, we are resolved
to step up our efforts to end the war and bring the troops home—now.
The Nassau County actions were coordinated by
the Stop the War Coalition: Long Island Alliance for Peaceful
Alternatives, Code Pink LI, Great Neck SANE/Peace Action, LI Veterans
for Peace, Pax Christi LI, Shelter Rock Forum, and the Social
Justice Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at
Shelter Rock.
In the November elections we gave the 110th Congress
a mandate for peace to end the war. Let's make sure they follow
through.
CALL YOUR CONGRESSPERSON. Tell your representative
to:
1. Oppose any escalation of troops in Iraq.
2. Support the immediate withdrawal of troops.
3. Vote against the $100 B supplemental appropriation that will
fund the continuation of the war.
NOT ONE MORE DEATH. NOT ONE MORE DOLLAR. BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW!
Congressional Switchboard: 202-224-3121
The Long Island Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives respects the
privacy of each individual who contacts us. We appreciate your support
and the role you play in enabling us to carry out our important
work. Our privacy policy is described below.
If you would like to review or correct the information that you
have provided to the Alliance, please contact us at lipeace@broadviewnet.net
or
