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Mid-Missouri April 2005 FOR Peace News |
P.O. Box 268 |
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Headlines
Join Mid-MO Weekly Vigils for PeaceIn Columbia: In Jefferson City: In Fulton: Monthly Prayers for Peace Witness to the Iraqi Occupation Witnessto the Iraqi Occupation: a presentation by Peggy Gish of Christian Peacemaker Teams7:30 pm Tuesday May 17 On March 31 this year, Peggy Gish returned to the U.S. from her fifth trip to Iraq where, for 16 months in the past two and a half years, she lived and worked with Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT). She will share stories of life in Iraq and of Iraqis working nonviolently to rebuild their society in the midst of the violence of occupation and resistance. Gish went to Iraq in 2002 as an attempt to prevent war. But on March 19, 2003, the bombs began falling on Baghdad. She has chronicled her experiences and CPT’s work in Iraq in Iraq: a Journey of Hope and Peace (Herald Press, 2004) In her book, Peggy recounts the moving experiences of CPT’s work in Iraq before, during and after the 2003 attack and occupation. Told as her personal account, Peggy makes real the horrors of war and her passionate vision for peace. The book includes stories of sleeping in a tent during the bombing, villages surrounded by razor wire, being deported out of Iraq, working for justice for Iraqi prisoners, creating relationships with Iraqi citizens, and through it all, seeking the way of Jesus’ nonviolent suffering love. Co-sponsored by St. Francis House Catholic Worker, Mid-Missouri FOR and the Consistent Life National Network. For more information contact Jeff at 573-449-4585.
Conscientious Objectors and Military Counseling from a Peace perspectiveIt is worth noting that in excess of 5000 young men and women in the military have refused to participate in the U.S. wars being waged on the peoples of Iraq and Afghanistan. Please extend what support you can for any conscientious objectors in your community and beyond. The Mid-MO FOR also provides free military counseling from a pacifist perspective, so if you are a young man or woman approaching your 18th birthday and having to deal with registering for the military draft or if you have been thinking about joining the military or if a loved one of yours, is in such a situation, give a call to one of the counselors with the FOR and/or the Columbia Interfaith Peace Alliance....John Galliher (882-3441), Lana Jacobs (443-0096), Kelly Maynard (882-4605), John Schuder (445-7569) or Jeff Stack (449-4585) for any questions or to set up an appointment. War Resister Pablo Paredes Denied Conscientious Objector StatusEarlier today (April 26), Pacifica Radio's "Democracy Now!" reported that an investigating officer has recommended to deny Navy sailor Pablo Paredes' request for conscientious objector status. In addition, his request for Other than Honorable discharge in lieu of trial was also denied. His court martial is scheduled for May 11. Pablo Paredes joined DN! host Amy Goodman on the line from California. Check out the link for more info: http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/04/26/1355214. For more info on Pablo log onto www.SwiftSmartVeterans.com. Two Petitions1) Please sign on to the petition urging an end to hostilities, support for helping rebuild the nation and democratic institutions there. Print off a copy and circulate it yourself as well. The petition drive is being coordinated by member groups of the Columbia Peace Coalition. To get a copy, go to Peaceworks. Please do what you can to support our brothers and sisters in Iraq. 2) Hiroshima-Nagasaki signature advertisement. More than 40 years ago, activists with the local FOR initiated a signature ad to recall the devastation and the thousands of deaths caused by the atomic bombings of the two Japanese cities. We are proud to stand with other member group with the Columbia Peace Coalition in renewing the annual call to continue a commitment to prevent any other nuclear attacks and reprioritize our national resources from war to meeting real human needs. Again, go to Peaceworks to sign and/or print and circulate a sheet for the signature ad. Pastors for Peace coming to Columbia July 1For the 13th year, IFCO/Pastors for Peace is organizing a “Friendshipment” of humanitarian supplies to the people of Cuba in conscious defiance of the immoral U.S. blockade of the nation. The caravan will stop in Columbia the evening of July 13 for a public educational program with a potluck din-ner and entertainment (DBA), at Rock Bridge Christian Church, 301 Green Meadows in Columbia. With the blatant “regime change” belligerence of the Bush-Cheney administration, there's a strong likelihood official U.S. relations will remain cold with Havana, if not escalating to outright military intervention. Please join us in reaching out in solidarity and support to our sisters and brothers in Cuba with this people-to-people opportunity. We will be collecting specific need supplies in the following general categories:
If you are interested in helping coordinate the local effort, if you have dry accessible storage space, a truck or cargo van for other talents/ideas The Pentagon's Secret Stash--Why we'll never see the second round of Abu Ghraib photosBy Matt Welch,The images, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told Congress, depict "acts that can only be described as blatantly sadistic, cruel, and inhuman." After Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) viewed some of them in a classified briefing, he testified that his "stomach gave out." NBC News reported that they show "American soldiers beating one prisoner almost to death, apparently raping a female prisoner, acting inappropriately with a dead body, and taping Iraqi guards raping young boys." Everyone who saw the photographs and videos seemed to shudder openly when contemplating what the reaction would be when they eventually were made public. |
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