H17054
Headlines : Civil LibertiesHundreds Arrested in War Protests
This article somewhat misleadingly credits UFPJ for organizing the protests surrounding the 5th anniversary of the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq, when in reality many organizations were involved, including Students for a Democratic Society and Direct Action to Stop the War. Never-the-less, the article is a decent summary of several actions that took place during the last week.
[Posted By ShiftShapers]Republished from t r u t h o u t
The protests, rallying thousands across the nation, were organized by United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ), an organization comprised of a broad coalition of individuals who, according to their web site, oppose the Iraq War and the US “government’s policy of permanent warfare and empire-building.”
The March 19 protests differed significantly from past, larger mass-mobilizations and tended to focus more on creative acts of civil disobedience.
Judith LeBlanc, lead organizer for UFPJ, spoke with Truthout about the impact of Wednesday’s demonstrations. “Yesterday was a very important day for the movement … It brought together young people, faith-based groups, military families, and people of all races and backgrounds. We had over 700 local actions and a large number of people taking the day off work.”
LeBlanc emphasized the unique purpose of the UFPJ-led demonstrations: “This broad group of people is a reflection of the majority … and [Wednesday] was about giving people an opportunity to express their opposition in creative, non-violent ways … Women carrying lifeless babies … Men with bloody hands. What was amazing was how people came out of stores and observed; it was an incredible atmosphere … people asking, ‘What is it that is really going on in our world?’”
LeBlanc noted…
Posted by ShiftShapers
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Posted by ShiftShapers on Friday, March 14th 2008
cool!
Actually, I want to elaborate.
This is the second post I’ve read today that involved people on the street asking what America is about.
It seems that maybe Bush’s blatant lies and the media’s complicity are finally sufficient counterevidence to force Americans to investigate the assumption that “America is good,” which had seemed an unshakable axiom in so many Americans’ (and Canadians’) lives.