CALENDAR OF ACTIONS & EVENTS

Vigil for 1000th US Military Death in Afghanistan

Wed, 3 Feb 2010 11:12:04 -0700

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RETHINK AFGHANISTAN: A DOCUMENTARY & CRITICAL MASS BIKE RIDE

Wed, 7 Oct 2009 10:41:34 -0600

Bring your bike. Meet at the CU Norlin Quad at 4:00 PM.

After eight years of U.S. military engagement in Afghanistan, violence and instability still prevail. The military approach to Afghanistan is not succeeding; further application of American military force will not bring stability to the country or security to our own.

With over 90 percent of U.S. funding in Afghanistan directed toward military purposes, non-military strategic options are not being pursued. The problems facing Afghan society are economic, social and political in nature, and require economic, social and political solutions. The U.S. can play a more constructive role in Afghanistan by engaging civil society than by waging war.

Congress should begin debate on civilian alternatives to a failed military-based approach to bringing peace and security to the region, starting with Congressional hearings. Click here to sign the petition.

G20 PROTESTS SOLIDARITY EVENT

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 10:33:04 -0600

11:00 Noon
Pearl Street Mall, Precise Location TBD
SFPJ is gearing up with the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center to hold a solidarity protest for those who will travel to Pittsburg for the G20 summit. We aim to highlight the link between G20 and our economy. We will protest corrupt bank actions by leafletting Well’s Fargo and other corrupt profiteers. Check back often for more details.

Information about the G20 Summit:

Info from Third World Network on last G20 meeting in April:
http://www.twnside.org.sg/title2/resurgence/2009/twr224.htm

This website has the website of several groups website and articles:
http://www.webcitation.org/5jc5Q3suJ

PROTEST CIA RECRUITMENT ON THE CU CAMPUS

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:50:20 -0600

The CIA will be holding a recruiting/info session at CU for the International Affairs department. From the CU website:

“Interested in learning more about the variety of opportunities with the CIA? Plan to attend the CIA Information Session on Tuesday, Sept. 15 from noon-1pm in Wolf Law, Room 204. Open to all CU-Boulder students.”

The CIA is a foremost offender in the US paradigm of perpetual war and violence in the name of capitalism. They have conspired to overthrow leaders and install military death-squad rule on every continent but Australia and Antarctica, have set up extensive torture programs throughout Latin America, Europe, North Africa, and South Asia, and elsewhere. They coordinated the transfer of drugs from Nicaragua to DC in support of the terrorist Contra War, resulting in the DC crack epidemic. They knowingly fabricated the evidence that rallied the support for the war in Iraq, and for years Osama Bin Laden was on the CIA payroll, spreading Islamofascism in Central Asia and Eastern Europe, ultimately leading to the rise of the Taliban and Al Qaida.

This is only a small sample of a history of covert activity that has led to death and misery for countless innocent victims, and continued political violence that keeps the world divided, allowing free reign for politicians and corporate conspirators.

Make no mistake; The CIA is a TERRORIST ORGANIZATION, responsible for more destruction than all the organizations that our government designates as such PUT TOGETHER!

There is a long tradition of opposition to CIA recruitment at CU. On Tuesday, September 15, SFPJ will continue that tradition. Lets put our heads together during the next few days to come up with something clever, confrontational, thought provoking, and preferably humorous.

NON-VIOLENT RESISTANCE IN COLUMBIA

Wed, 9 Sep 2009 00:55:50 -0600

The Naropa Peace Studies Department
and the Naropa Peace Community Network presents…

NONVIOLENT RESISTANCE IN COLOMBIA:
THE PEACE COMMUNITY OF SAN JOSÉ DE APARTADÓ

Lenz Scholar Dr. Elizabeth Lozano
with students Nathan Emerson and Emily Zisette

Wednesday, September 9th, 6-8pm
Naropa University Student Center
2130 Arapahoe Avenue
in the basement of the Administration Building
http://www.naropa.edu/about/maps.cfm#

Lenz scholar Dr. Elizabeth Lozano will present on her ongoing research and work with the Colombian Peace Community of San José de Apartadó [CDP]. For over a decade CDP has been engaged in nonviolent resistance to military, paramilitary and guerrilla violence: By not participating or cooperating with any armed groups in any capacity, refusing to carry arms, refusing to accept injustice, and building political and economic self-reliance and autonomy. CDP also works to develop relationships with peace movements worldwide.

“Without international presence…this community would cease to exist”
-- CDP community leader

for more information contact:
Emily ezisette@students.naropa.edu; Nathan nemerson@students.naropa.edu

Click here to download the flyer.

SFPJ PRESENTS RYAN HARVEY

Fri, 4 Sep 2009 21:00:53 -0600

About RiotFolk: Wielded with care, conviction and clear aim, a song can be a powerful weapon of social change. Generations of successful struggles have taught us this lesson, from the IWW worker's movement to South African and U.S. freedom struggles. In our daily efforts to challenge oppression, and to create worlds of joy and dignity in its place, the music that we make together can serve to root us in our histories and communities, affirm our experiences, and kindle our loving and fighting spirits.

The Riotfolk Collective, made up of eight radical young folk musicians from across the U.S., has come together in this very spirit to create a web of support for grassroots, movement-based music and musicians. As a troupe of acoustic artists dedicated to mutual aid and solidarity, we aim to support each other as individuals while also building a strong, collective political voice that can provoke, educate, challenge and inspire. "A singing movement is a winning movement," says Pete Seeger. We agree.

Riotfolk came together in December 2004, in an attempt to break the isolation that many of us felt as solo political artists. Despite its short existence, the collective has already succeeded in organizing five successful tours in the U.S and Europe, playing numerous benefit shows in support of grassroots organizations, building an often-visited website with free mp3s and lyrics (www.riotfolk.org), and supporting a number of new releases from the collective's artists.

WHAT IS THIS COLLECTIVE STUFF YOU SPEAK OF?

Collectives come in all shapes and sizes; housing collectives, film collectives, sex toy collectives, child care collectives, book collectives, bee-keeping collectives, collectively owned businesses, media collectives, bike collectives, car-sharing collectives, food-growing collectives, etc.

Collectives can be as informal as a potluck where there are simple agreed upon terms— you bring a dish and therefore reap the benefit of indulging in other attendees dishes. Or collectives can be as formal as a collective community center with finances, long-term planning, neighborhood support, outreach, rehab and carpentry work, and resource management...just to name a few elements.

Collectives are based on the idea that working together is mutually beneficial to each member rather than working in competition with each other (a commonly revered capitalist notion). Competition does not leave room for collaboration or solidarity, it limits the potential of individuals by discouraging the exploration of cooperative achievement and collective interest. Competition also overlooks the individual needs people have according to their own abilities. Overall, working together for a mutual interest beats working alone for the sake of one’s own benefit.

Free Show!
9:00 PM, Friday, September 4, 2009
At Burnt Toast (on the Hill) Map
Click HERE to download the flyer.

EXTRAORDINARY RENDITION ACTION

Wed, 2 Sep 2009 19:04:03 -0600

The practice of extraordinary rendition, or kidnapping terrorism suspects and sending them to overseas prisons, often for torture, may still be occurring.

Demand that Attorney General Eric Holder appoint a Special Prosecutor to investigate all levels of involvement in torture by clicking here.

AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN: THE EMPIRE RETOOLS

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:00:50 -0600

What is going on in Afghanistan and Pakistan and why is U.S. involvement rapidly escalating? Exit strategy from Iraq? Send the troops to Afghanistan. Obama identifies Afghanistan and Pakistan as the central front of the - no longer called but still being fought - war on terror. Iraq was the wrong war but the one being waged primarily on the Afghanistan and Pakistan border is the right one. Are these policies the change voters wanted? David Barsamian has traveled extensively in South and West Asia. He is the founder and director of the award-winning Alternative Radio (http://www.alternativeradio.org), based in Boulder. AR is heard on KGNU on Wednesday eves at 6. Author of numerous books, his latest are Targeting Iran and What We Say Goes.

A TALK BY DAVID BARSAMIAN
7:00-9:00 PM
Eaton Humanities 1B50 (Map)
CU-Boulder Campus

COMMON GROUND: STRONG ROOTS FOR COMMUNITY GROWTH

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:50:06 -0600

In honor of Earth Day, the Student Environmental Action Coalition and Students for Peace & Justice joined forces to host a free sponsored panel of visionary environmental leaders. Activist, writer, and poet Julia Butterfly Hill, Urban Community gardener Kip Nash, and National Capitalism CEO Jeff Hohensee shared their work towards how we can bridge the gaps in the environmental movement and work together to protect this planet for many years to come.

Julia Butterfly-Hill is an activist, writer, and poet recognized for bringing international attention to the last remaining ancient forests when she climbed 180 feet into the branches of a 1000 year old redwood tree and refused to come down. The recipient of numerous awards and honors, she is one of the most recognizable figures in environmental activism.

Jeff Hohensee is a change management expert who has been working in business, education, and sustainability for over 25 years. He currently works as CEO of Natural Capitalism Solutions, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to educate senior decision-makers in business, government, and civil society about the principles of sustainability.

Kipp Nash is the founder of Community Roots, a unique neighborhood-based farm in Boulder, Colorado. Community Roots feeds neighbors, educates new growers, and provides a rallying call for local food. Kipp is currently developing the Community Roots Institute for Neighborhood Supported Agriculture in order to support growth of neighborhood-based food projects around the country.

COSPONSORS

TAKE BACK THE NIGHT

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:57:13 -0600

“Take Back the Night serves to create safe communities and respectful relationships through awareness events and initiatives. We seek to end sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual abuse and all other forms of sexual violence. TBTN empowers survivors in the healing process and inspires responsibility in all."

www.TakeBackTheNight.org

A HISTORY OF TAKE BACK THE NIGHT
Take Back the Night’s roots may lie in 1877 when women protested the fear and violence they experienced in the night-time streets of London, England.

Others believe that the first rally occurred in 1976 when women attending the International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women lit candles and took to the moonlit streets of Belgium to denounce the continuation of violence against women. While the origins of Take Back the Night may be disputed, its impact is undeniable. Since its inception, thousands of marches and rallies bearing the name Take Back the Night have taken place worldwide.

The hope of Take Back the Night made its way stateside in 1978 when protesters in San Francisco invoked the slogan following an anti-pornography conference. On that night, those who had been adversely affected by pornography openly shared their stories with those who had gathered. Today, survivor speakouts are an inseparable part of Take Back the Night. Most present-day rallies offer survivors of violence an opportunity to give voice to their experiences and publicly affirm their transition from victim to survivor.

Common components of Take Back the Night rallies include candlelight vigils, empowerment marches, and survivor testimonials. The goals and specific features of a TBTN rally are just as varied as its vast array of supporters. Throughout its history, Take Back the Night has inspired both women and men to confront a myriad of social ills, including rape, sexual violence, domestic violence, violence against children, and violence against women. The unifying theme throughout these diverse topics is the assertion that all human beings have the right to be free from violence, the right to be heard, and the right to reclaim those rights if they are violated.

Download Take Back the Night photos here.

PROCESSION FOR THE FUTURE

Fri, 6 Mar 2009 17:09:45 -0700

In Honor of International Women’s Day
March 6, 7, and 8, 2009
Boulder, CO

March 6-8, SFPJ, the Backbone Campaign, and numerous co-sponsors brought the Procession for the Future to Boulder, Colorado. The Procession was a three day event, geared toward raising awareness and catalyzing broader support for the kinds of progressive change that we hope to bring to this country and to the world. The Procession addressed:
▪ Fair Trade, Living Wage Jobs, & Healthy Local Economies
▪ Climate Stabilization, Ecological Sustainability, & Renewable Energy
▪ End of War, Dismantling of Empire & Dismantling the Military
Industrial Complex
▪ Election Integrity & Renewal of Democracy
▪ Housing, Education, & Health Care for All
▪ Humane & Fair Immigration Policy
▪ Celebration of Diversity & Elimination of Racial Disparities
▪ Governmental Accountability and Transparency

PHOTOS BY DOUG GRINBERGS
Full resolution photos available at Flickr.

Puppets to Parade for Social Justice at CU:
Students for Peace & Justice Event Prelude to Activist Weekend
Boulder Daily Camera, March 5, 2009
"We're hoping to encourage students to become actively involved on a grassroots level, and hopefully this parade will present activism in a context of fun and excitement," said senior Kevin Moran, one of the event organizers.

Procession for the Future:
SFPJ Member Jane Madrigal on KGNU
KGNU, March 5, 2009
Click here to listen. Jane’s piece begins at 27:25.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

FRIDAY, MARCH 6
3:00-4:30 PM Procession for the Future March
@ CU Campus, Humanities Building
5:00-6:45 PM Backbone Campaign Workshop:
Arts for Social Change
@ CU Humanities, Room 150
7:00-9:00 PM Keynote Speaker:
Poetry by Margaret Randall, Activist & Author
With a Short Performance by
The Vagina Monologues
@ Naropa Performing Arts Center
9:00-12:00 PM Funtastic Funkfest
Featuring Quicksand Profits
And Freestyle Movement
@ Naropa Performing Arts Center

SATURDAY, MARCH 7
At CU University Memorial Center
10:00-11:00 AM Procession for the Future Welcome
11:30-2:30 PM Ruckus Society Workshop:
Non-violent Direct Action for Homesteaders
And Home Defenders (Details Here)
Fight with Tools W.A.T.S. Workshop:
Wake Up, Activate, Transform, Step Up
(Details Here)
3:00-4:00 PM Talk by Nonviolence United:
What They Don't Want You to Know:
The Truth About Militant Nonviolence
4:30-7:30 PM Rainforest Action Network Workshop:
Strategic Corporate Campaigning (Details Here)

SUNDAY, MARCH 8
At Central Park Bandshell
9:00A - 12:00P Backbone Campaign Workshops
12:00-1:00 PM Introductions to Local Organizations
And Cosponsors
1:00-2:00 PM Dan Conerd, Iraq Veterans Against the War
2:00-2:30 PM Talk by Rainforest Action Network:
Exposing False Solutions:
Clean Coal, Ethanol, Etc.

COSPONSOR

The Backbone Campaign

ADDITIONAL SPONSORS

Acorn

Alterni-Tees

American Friends Service Committee

Boulder Housing Coalition - Chrysalis Coop

Citizens for Peace in Space

CODEPINK-Boulder

Emergency USA

Fight with Tools: The Flobots Street Team

Freestyle Movement

Global Response

Green Party - Colorado

International Socialist Organization

Iraq Veterans Against the War

Nonviolence United

Quicksand Profits

Rainforest Action Network

Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center

The Ruckus Society

Vagina Monologues

Veg Fund

Veterans for Peace

To see SFPJ’s previous involvement with
the Procession for the Future, click here.

CITIZENS HEARING ON THE FEDERAL ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE

Sun, 1 Feb 2009 17:30:00 -0700

Click on the image above to view the 7News video.

On Sunday, February 1, the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center and Students for Peace and Justice cosponsored a citizens’ hearing on the federal economic stimulus package. Rep. Jared Polis attended the hearing in which numerous citizens, including SFPJ member Gustao Oliveira, spoke about the need to value people over corporations.

CNN ARTICLE BY REP. JARED POLIS ABOUT THE HEARING

Click here to read the article.

Unfortunately, Rep. Polis misquoted Oliveira in his article. Here’s the correct quote, “We are students, not bureaucrats, so instead of using our time to tell you how we would manage those $125 billion, or pleading for a bigger chunk of the $819 billion, we study the current situation and draw the following conclusion: $125 billion is not enough when the banks are still hoarding more than twice that amount instead of providing credit – such as the student loans on which so many of us depend for our education; $125 billion is not enough when a third of the stimulus package comes from tax breaks – and this while the current administration refuses to end the absurd tax breaks that Bush already gave the plutocrats and their corporations, costing us at least five times more than this amount; $125 billion is not nearly enough when the current administration does not bring the troops home according to popular mandate but simply shifts soldiers around in the same illegitimate war on a concept, costing us at least ten times more than this $125 billion.”

DENVERCHANNEL.COM ARTICLE ABOUT THE HEARING

Click here to read the article.

SEX+MONEY: A GLOBAL SEARCH FOR HUMAN WORTH

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 17:35:07 -0700

UPDATE: Thank you for everyone who turned out for the event, only to find there was a class being held in the designated room. We accidentally scheduled a room for Wednesday, but advertised the event for Thursday. SFPJ regrets the error and hopes to reschedule.

MERCHANTS OF DEATH RALLY

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:45:09 -0700

A PROGRESSIVE RESPONSE TO THE ECONOMIC CRISIS

Sat, 6 Dec 2008 17:37:47 -0700

ORGANIZING THE GRASSROOTS & FINDING SOLUTIONS CONFERENCE
Sponsored by the Alliance for Real Democracy

1:00-5:00 PM, Saturday, December 6
In Humanities 250 on the CU-Boulder Campus (Map)

While Wall Street investors and banks are rewarded with hundreds of billions of dollars in taxpayer money for their irresponsible and reckless speculation, millions of working people are losing their jobs, homes and retirement. As the economy moves into a recession, far more people will be jobless, homeless and desperate both in the U.S. and abroad.

At the same time, the present financial crisis offers a unique opportunity to galvanize ordinary people to act in our own self interest and to support just, progressive policies. Clearly the vast majority of Americans opposed the bailout. Many are looking for ways to make our voices heard in upcoming policy discussions and government actions, and to create new policies and structures for a just society. We need to develop community responses to the crisis, from the neighborhood to the federal level.

THE KEY PURPOSES OF THIS CONFERENCE WERE TO EDUCATE OURSELVES ABOUT THE ECONOMIC CRISIS AND TO COME UP WITH ACTION PLANS TO RESPOND TO THIS SITUATION AND BEYOND.

We began to develop plans for restoring justice and more equality to the economy and for ensuring opportunity and basic needs for all of our residents. At the same time, we addressed the enormous drain on our economy and our domestic needs caused by militarism and U.S. occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan.

This conference started with speakers on key issues related to the current economic crisis in the morning, followed by breakout groups in the afternoon. Panels included representatives from labor, community groups, and the faith community, as well as policy analysts.

Speakers:
Ron Forthofer, Ph.D., Economist
Suzy Helburn, Economist
Scott Kwasney, Jobs with Justice

Free.

First Flyer (Color)
First Flyer (B&W)
Second Flyer (Color)
Second Flyer (B&W)

CLOSE THE SOA

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 15:01:08 -0700

The School of the Americas (SOA) is a combat training school for Latin American soldiers, located at Fort Benning, Georgia. In 2001, the SOA was renamed the “Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation.”
 Initially established in Panama in 1946, it was kicked out of that country in 1984 under the terms of the Panama Canal Treaty. Former Panamanian President, Jorge Illueca, stated that the School of the Americas was the “biggest base for destabilization in Latin America.” The SOA, frequently dubbed the “School of Assassins,” has left a trail of blood and suffering in every country where its graduates have returned.   Over its 59 years, the SOA has trained over 60,000 Latin American soldiers in counterinsurgency techniques, sniper training, commando and psychological warfare, military intelligence and interrogation tactics. These graduates have consistently used their skills to wage a war against their own people. Among those targeted by SOA graduates are educators, union organizers, religious workers, student leaders, and others who work for the rights of the poor. Hundreds of thousands of Latin Americans have been tortured, raped, assassinated, “disappeared,” massacred, and forced into refugee by those trained at the School of Assassins.

Every year, thousands of demonstrators converge on the SOA to demand it’s closing. In November, 2008, SFPJ members Brittany, Jane, and Kevin traveled to Georgia to represent SFPJ in the protests.

To learn more about the SOA and the School of Americas Watch, visit www.soaw.org.

JOIN THE IMPACT: PROTEST FOR LGBTQ RIGHTS

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 17:40:45 -0700

In the days following the November elections, tens of thousands of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender people took to the streets of California with their supporters to show their outrage with the passage of CA Proposition 8. Prop 8 provides for a Constitutional Amendment to prohibit same-sex marriage rights. Similar amendments and propositions have been passed in AZ and FL.

The passage of these propositions has angered the gay community and their supporters. Many feel as if they are now second-class citizens in a country that has seen that change can happen with this historic election. They do not feel that a majority should be able to vote on minorities' rights or vote to take anyone's rights away.

Inspired by the passage of Prop 8 in California, this rally was an opportunity to take our anger and turn it into action. Boulder Pride joined with a large coalition of local partners, including PFLAG, OASOS, Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Resource Center University of Colorado at Boulder, Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center, Naropa, Safehouse Alliance for Progressive Nonviolence, Students for Peace & Justice, and the list goes on and on. We spoke out against the legislation of discrimination in our community and communities across the country.

The Protest / Movement also took place across the nation at the same time: 1:30 PM Eastern, 12:30 PM Central, 11:30 AM Mountain and 10:30 AM Pacific.

Our message is simple, yet loud; Equal Rights for All.

RESISTING EMPIRE SPEAKING TOUR WITH CAMILO MEJIA & BOOTS RILEY

Sun, 9 Nov 2008 15:05:26 -0700

The Coup frontman Boots Riley appeared at Resisting Empire to introduce Iraq War resister Camilo Mejia before his evening performance with Tom Morello. Following the speaking tour, SFPJ members jammed with Mejia at the concert with Boots and Tom.

The Coup’s latest album, Pick A Bigger Weapon, captures the collisions between economics and everyday life, the political and the personal.

Frontman Boots Riley is a personal friend of SFPJ’s, and we were proud to have him speak at our leg of the Resisting Empire Tour.

Staff Sergeant Camilo Mejía became the new face of the antiwar movement in early 2004 when he applied for a discharge from the Army as a conscientious objector. After serving in the Army for nearly nine years, he was the first known Iraq veteran to refuse to fight, citing moral concerns about the war and occupation. His principled stand helped to rally the growing opposition and embolden his fellow soldiers.

Despite widespread public support and an all-star legal team, Mejía was eventually convicted of desertion by a military court and sentenced to a year in prison, prompting Amnesty International to declare him a prisoner of conscience.

Now released after serving almost nine months, the celebrated soldier-turned-pacifist told his own story, from his upbringing in Central America and his experience as a working-class immigrant in the United States to his service in Iraq—where he witnessed prisoner abuse and was deployed in the Sunni triangle—and time in prison. Far from being an accidental activist, Mejía was raised by prominent Sandinista revolutionaries and draws inspiration from Jesuit teachings. Mejia argues passionately for human rights and the end to an unjust war.

SFPJ POTLUCK

Sun, 2 Nov 2008 15:11:04 -0700

Did someone say Potluck? Yeah, SFPJ did!

WHO: YOU! (The Students for Peace &m Justice Family)
WHAT: A funky amazing Pot Luck
...with music for the soul, great company, and a pug dog named Eloise
WHERE: Tea's House
WHEN: Sunday, November 2nd 2008
WHY: Because "All you need is love" and some food

"Well you see, if you’re going to a potluck, you want to make sure you’re not the person without a dish." ~ Sudarshan Kapur
(yup, Naropa Peace Study students...I went there)

ALLIANCE FOR REAL DEMOCRACY: MAIN PAGE

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:59:55 -0600

Twenty-eight member organizations formed the Alliance for Real Democracy (ARD) in order to host Tent State outside the Democratic National Convention (DNC), August 24-28, 2008 in Denver, CO.

ARD/Tent State served as an alternative university, a space in which to experience real democracy, a staging area for demonstrations at the DNC, a venue for musical artists, and a site for protest camping.

Tent State hosted hundreds of activists, comprised of progressive democrats, greens, anarchists, students, socialists, soldiers, daughters, and brothers. While we may have held different ideologies, we were united in a firm determination to end this war.

ALLIANCE FOR REAL DEMOCRACY EVENTS
Click on the links below to learn more about the multitude of ARD events.

RESURRECTION CITY FREE UNIVERSITY

TENT STATE MUSIC FESTIVAL
Including the IVAW / Rage Against the Machine Concert

IVAW END THE WAR MARCH

FUNK THE WAR: DANCE FOR PEACE

FREEDOMVILLE SHANTYTOWN

PROCESSION FOR THE FUTURE
By the Backbone Campaign

IMMIGRANT RIGHTS MARCH
By We are America

GUARD TOWER AND OPERATION FIRST CASUALTY
By Iraq Veterans Against the War

GUANTANAMO BAY CELL
By Amnesty International

AERIAL PEACE IMAGE
By CODEPINK

ARD/TENT STATE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Click here to download the Alliance for Real Democracy schedule:
ARD_Tent State Pamphlet V3.pdf

ARD MISSION STATEMENT

The Alliance for Real Democracy is a nonviolent, transparent coalition of progressive and radical groups that will organize global justice and peace events and protests at the Democratic National Convention in August 2008. Our goals are to help coordinate the local and national advocacy groups planning to attend the DNC, to foster a spirit of cooperation with one and other, and to create a schedule of events that respects the time and distances between events. We hope that working together in this way will create the roots necessary to begin the process of moving into the future as a cooperative and cohesive national Movement for a more peaceful and just world.

Click here to download the Mission Statement, Organizing Principles, Statement of Purpose, and Member Organizations.

COALITION ORGANIZING PRINCIPLES

1- The Alliance for Real Democracy will strive to assemble a diverse group of people in which the youth are encouraged to take leadership roles. We encouraged younger generations to seek advice and guidance from older generations, and we strive to empower a new generation of organizers with the skills and tools necessary for effective and capable organizing in the twenty-first century.

2- The Alliance for Real Democracy acknowledges that oppression exists, both outside and inside of our movement. In order to combat oppression, people possessing privilege due to race, class, gender, age, or other manifestation are asked to step back from their dominant roles and intentionally make space for all voices to be heard.

3- The Alliance for Real Democracy will organize only nonviolent events and approach all stages of planning and implementation from a non-violent perspective. Alliance for Real Democracy members agree to the following guidelines for all coalition events and activities: (a.) We will act respectfully toward all people and toward the environment around us, (b.) We will not use or return violence—verbal or physical—toward any person or other creature, (c.) We will not damage property, and we will take full responsibility for our actions, (d.) We will not bring firearms or other weapons to actions or protests, (e.) During the actions, we will not bring or use illegal drugs or alcohol, (f.) We will not incite others to violence.

4- The Alliance for Real Democracy will strive for a consensus of the individual members present at a given coalition meeting. If consensus cannot be reached within the time limit assigned to a particular item, we will revert to 70% super majority. This process applies to all decisions.

5- The Alliance for Real Democracy will have a group of media liaisons that will rotate in their role of spokesperson, and that will follow a set of guidelines for conduct and representation of the coalition. Should a specific liaison have difficulty staying within these guidelines, they will be asked to step back from their role and someone else will step forward.

6- The Alliance for Real Democracy will not assist law enforcement in their attempts to divide our movement. Participation in the Alliance for Real Democracy includes a commitment to not assist any State repression of dissent, including surveillance, infiltration, disruption, and violence. We will also not assist in any law enforcement actions against any activist organizing at the DNC.

7- The Alliance for Real Democracy is a non-partisan organization and will not endorse any political party or candidate for public office.

OUR PURPOSE FOR DEMONSTRATING
AT THE DNC

We are passionate about peace and justice and believe it is imperative to bring critical, progressive issues to the forefront of the national conscience during the DNC convention.

Our intention is to convince and pressure Democrats to work for just and progressive policies at home and abroad. Elected Democrats in large part have refused to support these policies on a wide range of domestic and foreign issues.

ARD KEY ISSUES:
• We support an end to U.S. militarism and empire building and call on Congress and the President to end the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. Funds used for militarism and occupation should instead be directed toward domestic programs, veterans, the rebuilding of Iraq, and compensation for losses suffered by the Iraqi people. We call for diplomatic solutions to all conflicts with other nations, including Iran, and for a Middle East policy that complies with international and U.S. laws and pressures Israel to end its occupation of internationally-recognized Palestinian territory.

• We support social, economic, and environmental justice. We call for progressive tax reform, fair trade policies that protect workers and the environment, health care for all, and protection for working people to organize labor unions. We call for the abolition of the death penalty, a decrease in our nation's reliance on imprisonment, and an end to the war on drugs and to racism, sexism and classism in the criminal justice system.

• We support human rights, including an end to torture and illegal detention. We call fair and comprehensive immigration policies and respect for peoples' native languages. We call for just and equitable practices in all institutions in regard to gender, race, class, and sexual orientation, for continuing and strengthening affirmative action programs, and for immediate, permanent housing solutions for the survivors of Hurricane Katrina.

• We support the restoration of democracy and civil liberties, the public financing of all campaigns for public office, transparency and voting integrity in elections, the abolition of the Electoral College, and the return of the public airwaves to the people. All laws, practices and institutions which undermine democracy and our constitution, including the corporate control of our government, the PATRIOT Act, the Military Commissions Act, the detention camps being built by Kellogg, Brown & Root, and illegal wiretapping, should be revoked or abolished. We call for independent investigations into 9/11, the invasion of Iraq, election fraud, and other potentially illegal activities of our government.

We believe that free speech and creative expression are integral to the democratic process. Our intention is to empower all people to nonviolently participate and have their voices heard during the DNC in order to create progress toward major change in our country. We welcome rank and file Democrats and elected officials to participate in our events during the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

ARD MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS

American Friends and Service Committee
The Backbone Campaign
Citizens for Peace in Space
CODEPINK
Colorado 9/11 Visibility
Colorado Community for Mindful Living
Colorado Green Party
Colorado Street Medics
Indigenous Support Network (ISN)
International Socialist Organization (ISO)
Iraq Veterans Against the War - Rocky Mountain Region (IVAW)
Jobs with Justice
Pax Christi
Peace & Justice Task Force at the Montview Blvd. Presbyterian Church (USA)
People Call for Change (PC4C)
Pikes Peak Justice and Peace Commission (PPJPC)
Progressive Democrats of America (PDA)
River of Light Enterprise
Rocky Mountain Caregivers Association
Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center (RMPJC)
SAFER
Social Action Council of the First Unitarian Church of Denver
Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)
Students for Peace and Justice (SFPJ)
Tent State University
United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ)
Veterans for Peace
World Can’t Wait: Drive Out the Bush Regime

ARD: RESURRECTION CITY FREE UNIVERSITY

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:58:23 -0600

Resurrection City Free University held classes from August 24 to August 28, 2008. It was named to pay homage to Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference's final major campaign. Resurrection City was the physical encampment in Washington, D.C. of the Poor People's Campaign--a national movement to press our political leaders for an Economic Bill of Rights. 2008 was the Fortieth Anniversary of Resurrection City. Thus, we chose the name for the Free University as a way to continue The Dream. Our goal was to provide educational opportunities that treated the DNC not as an end in and of itself, but as a means to strengthen our collective ability to transform and continue the national and global struggle for peace and justice.

The University taught on-the-ground tactics, strategies, and theory. Tent State participants utilized the teachings at the convention and took them back to their own communities.

SCHEDULE OF COURSES
Click below to download the Resurrection City schedule:
Final RCFU Schedule.pdf

ARD: TENT STATE MUSIC FESTIVAL

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:57:48 -0600

Music has the power to move people, and from Sunday, August 24 to Wednesday, August, 26, it moved a political party! When we Funked the War on Sunday, we were only getting started. At the Tent State Music Festival, we funked the war all week long. Some of the biggest names in the country came together to help us confront the Democrats and end to the war, including:

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
The Flobots
The Coup
Wayne Kramer of MC5
Jello Biafra
State Radio
Blue Scholars
Son of Nun
David Rovics
Common Market
P Nuckle
Fulcrum
Kombat
DJ Russh

ARD: MARCH TO END THE WAR

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:56:14 -0600

On Wednesday, August 27, Iraq Veterans Against the War stood in formation at the front of the march. A banner with the words “Support GI Resistance” followed about ten feet behind them. Behind that, six thousand people marched in solidarity.

There was no permit, and supporters were notified that they were risking arrest. Supporters also knew that members of Rage Against the Machine, The Flobots, The Coup, and State Radio were leading the civilians.

When arrest looked immanent, the veterans stepped forward and saluted the police while holding a folded U.S. flag under their arms. A trumpet played taps. If the police forced the veterans’ hands into cuffs, the flag would fall to the ground.

All along the way, the police halted IVAW. They went through several renegotiations so that they could keep making their way closer to the Pepsi Center to confront the Democrats. Despite their intimidating ways, the police were supportive. They blocked off streets and helped the veterans lead their supporters.

However, the police were given orders, and we were marched into the Freedom Cage. When inside, there was nowhere to disperse. People were dehydrated from the 4 mile hike, and the police stood ready to shoot tear gas at any moment. IVAW chose to call the Obama campaign and negotiate. IVAW asked to speak with a representative, and they were denied.

At that point, IVAW decided to move to a more strategic location. They turned the march around and went back the way we had come. That’s when the line was drawn in the sand. At 7:30 PM, IVAW came to a fork in the road, and informed people that they could go left or right. Going left would mean risking arrest, and going right would mean going to safety. Hundreds of people chose to engage in civil disobedience and stand behind the veterans.

IVAW marched right up to the police force that had amassed at the Pepsi Center main gate. So many people crowded behind the vets on Spear Blvd. that they forced the closing of the road. IVAW asked again for an Obama representative while legal observers informed the supporters that people in the road were risking arrest.

IVAW seized the moment and began to connect the military brutality in Iraq to possible police aggression that evening. If any police officers used force against the veterans and their supporters, they would have to live it for the rest of their lives--just like veterans have to live with the fact that they have killed people.

The tension slowly raised. More than one-thousand people stood in support. Then, with the sun setting, IVAW received notice that an Obama representative would meet with them.

Immediately, the police stood down, and the crowd erupted in celebration. Obama will listen to the veterans’ call for (1) troops home now, (2) education, healthcare, and financial support when the troops get home, and (3) reparations for Iraq.

Excerpts written by Kevin Gosztola, World Can’t Wait 

ARD: FUNK THE WAR: DANCE FOR PEACE

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:55:42 -0600

On Sunday, August 24, 2008, the Alliance for Real Democracy kicked off our activities by bringing the war to delegates--and getting funky while doing it. Following the End the Occupations March and Rally, we went downtown to express our anger with the Democratic Party's continuation of the war.

More than one-thousand people danced in the streets. We made music rather than war. And, we connected with others united to resist war and imperialism.

ARD: FREEDOMVILLE SHANTYTOWN

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:54:36 -0600

The City of Denver banned camping in an attempt to suppress our demonstrations, but we outwitted them. The "Freedom Cage," the laughable 50,000 sq. ft. space surrounded by razor wire and caging, was useless for having your voice heard. But, it was open 24 hours a day, and it worked to "feign" sleep. Every night during the DNC, we marched from Tent State to the Freedom Cage in order to “feign” sleep and protest the suppression of our civil rights.

ARD: PROCESSION FOR THE FUTURE

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:50:45 -0600

Bertold Brecht wrote, "Art is not a mirror with which we reflect reality, but a hammer with which we shape it." The Backbone Campaign believes that the artistic and energizing approach proposed in the Procession for the Future is an antidote to a dominant sense of powerlessness throughout the country. We know that art can help shape the political landscape in this country. Igniting the imagination and passion of our community can transform fear and disillusionment into hope and engagement. Together we can create a future we are proud to hand our children.

The Procession for the Future is a touring parade using high production value art and spectacle to animate our aspirations and deliver a compelling progressive vision for the country. The numerous giant puppets and inflatables portray a set of progressive policy priorities, such as:

▪ Fair Trade, Living Wage Jobs & Healthy Local Economies
▪ Climate Stabilization, Ecological Sustainability & Renewable Energy
▪ End of War, Dismantling of Empire & the Military Industrial Complex
▪ Election Integrity & Renewal of Democracy
▪ Housing, Education and Health Care for All
▪ Humane & Fair Immigration Policy
▪ Celebration of Diversity & Elimination of Racial Disparities
▪ Governmental Accountability and Transparency

ARD: WE ARE AMERICA MARCH

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:48:13 -0600

A NATIONAL MOBILIZATION FOR COMPREHENSIVE AND JUST IMMIGRATION REFORM

Alongside WE ARE AMERICA, the Alliance for Real Democracy marched to support just and fair immigration reform. We marched to stop the criminalization of immigrant people. We marched to support immigrant student rights. We marched to pass the DREAM Act & in-state tuition. We marched for no more deaths in the desert. We marched to build bridges not walls. We marched to stop the ICE raids. And, we marched to protect children & keep ALL families together.

ARD: GUARD TOWER & OPERATION 1ST CASUALTY

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:47:10 -0600

Nearly every soldier in Iraq has pulled guard duty. Iraq Veterans Against the War erected a guard tower at Tent State to draw attention to "Stop-Loss" and to symbolize their continued commitment to their pledge to defend the Constitution.

OPERATION FIRST CASUALTY
August 26, 2008, Denver, CO
Operation First Casualty aims to bring the story of the war to the American people.

Actual veterans of the conflict in Iraq played the part of American service members – with reenactments that highlighted various aspects of life in combat in Iraq. The event was treated like a military operation with participants in full military uniform, however, there were no weapons used at any time.

“We [call our] action Operation First Casualty because we believe that truth was the first casualty of this war. Our aim is to show the American public the truth of the US occupation in Iraq,” said Garett Reppenhagen, IVAW board chair and one of the organizers of March 19th’s event. “It is time for the American people to know the truth so they will act to bring the troops home now.”

In actions staged around Denver, ARD/Tent State volunteers acted as civilians in realistic portrayals of actual interactions between U.S. troops and Iraqi civilians. The result was a lot of shouting, commotion and tension in the middle of the DNC--giving the American public a taste of what Iraqis and U.S. troops deal with day in and day out.

Participants hoped that by giving the American public a sense of the ugly reality of the war they would then be inspired to act to end the war now.

ARD: GUANTANAMO BAY CELL

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:46:29 -0600

Amnesty International brought a life-size model of a maximum security cell at Guantánamo. Visitors got a glimpse of the harsh realities of illegal detention and prolonged isolation.

Most detainees at Guantánamo are held in isolation, many of them with literally no access to natural light or contact with other human beings for up to 24 hours a day. Compounding their suffering is the fact that they have no indication of when or if they will be freed from Guantánamo. Most are detained without charge, and those who have been charged face unfair trials by military commission. Some face execution.

Visitors were encouraged to enter and experience the conditions of isolation and take action to end illegal US detentions.

ARD: AERIAL PEACE IMAGE

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:00:52 -0600

ON August 25, 2008, at ARD’s Tent State University, an immense crowd of CODEPINK women and others formed an incredible image at Tent State to be captured from the air. The words “Make Out Not War” were written on the ground alongside a pouting pair of lips!
 This living-art image, a visual representation of peace and justice in the heart of the Democratic National Convention, was photographed by famed aerial artist John Quigley. It inspired everyone participating and viewing it.
 “We are embodying peace in a creative and connective way,” said Dana Balicki, national campaign coordinator. “By joining hands with thousands of others into this shape, and these words, we will show the world in breathtaking scale that we are ready for peace.”  

FIVE YEARS: TOO MUCH!

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 13:23:24 -0600

A WEEK FOR PEACE,
A COMMITMENT TO END THE OCCUPATIONS
March 12-16, 2008

FIVE YEARS: TOO MUCH! DISCUSSION
On Wednesday, March 12, SFPJ and Pikes Peace Justice and Peace Commission hosted Adrienne Anderson, outspoken critic of corporate polluters and defender of environmental justice, and Frank Cordaro, co-founder of the Des Moines Catholic Worker Community for a lively and informative discussion on the environmental costs of war and why we should get involved.

Ms. Anderson, who is currently heading the Nuclear Nexus Project, gave the talk, "The War Environment: Local Hazards and Global Threats."

Immediately following, Mr. Cordaro, a former priest, gave the talk, "A Defense for Civil Disobedience - A USA Christian Perspective." The question and answer session following the talks was so compelling, it ran over the one-hour alloted time.

FIVE YEARS: TOO MUCH! CONCERT

Then on Friday, March 14, GoldHill, a local Boulder rock, blues, and funk band, performed a great concert for peace and justice at the Burnt Toast on the Hill.

FIVE YEARS: TOO MUCH! RALLY
On Saturday, March 15, at the Boulder Public Library, the fifth anniversary of the occupation of Iraq rally was combined with the Cesar Chavez Commemoration. The Mexican dance group Kalpulli Huehueteotl performed ceremonies in honor of the civil rights activist and in support of peace everywhere. Cesar Chavez’s grandson, Paul Chavez, spoke about his grandfather's commitment to nonviolent struggle for justice, and his lifetime of work organizing farm workers.

Daily Camera Article: Chavez’s Grandson Speaks

Photos by Cliff Grassmick, Daily Camera

MERCENARIES FOR UDALL

Fri, 1 Feb 2008 15:54:51 -0700

Beginning in Spring 2008, SFPJ began working to convince Rep. Mark Udall to represent his constituents and FUND THEM HOME. In an effort to continue this pressure but in a new and interesting way, SFPJ formed the “real” organization, MERCENARIES for UDALL, a “group” that wants Udall to continue the war, its funding, and anything that will make their bank accounts bigger!

THE EVENTS: The group MERCENARIES for UDALL (a.k.a. role-playing SFPJ members) attended rallies and events dressed in full military uniforms to pass out information on why mercenaries all over the world support Udall and his continued funding of the Wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and on Terror.

WHAT TO WEAR: The uniform is simple:
1.) A CAMOUFLAGE article of clothing,
2.) All other clothing should be BLACK
3.) A RED, WHITE, and BLUE “Rambo Style” bandanna on your head.

Get ready for more creative and Rambo-tastic events where we will all have the opportunity to role-play your favorite Team America member! F#@K Yeah!!!!

END COLORADO’S SUPPORT
FOR MERCENARIES

ESI is a SCHOOL FOR MERCENARIES that runs its operation and conducts its training in Grand Junction and Rifle, Colorado. Established in 1980, ESI is the oldest intelligence based Executive Protection, Bodyguard Training Academy in the world. All ESI programs are approved and regulated by the Colorado Department of Higher Education, Private Occupational School Board. Among their programs you can find Special Operation, a program that follows federal agency protocols of Personal Security Details (PSD) in high risk situations and supplying mercenaries to companies like BLACKWATER in combat zones primarily in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also throughout the world.

EXECUTIVE SECURITY INTERNATIONAL (ESI)
http://www.esi-lifeforce.com
125 West 4th Street, Suite 103
Rifle, Colorado 81650

GSS is a recently created, wholly owned affiliate of Executive Security International. It currently operates several hundred security positions (mercenary boots on the ground) in Iraq to guard the new American Embassy in Baghdad. As a human resources broker GSS is also in the business of making an arrangements to supply personnel to private security service firms for deployment in Iraq, like BLACKWATER, KROLL, CUSTER BATTLES, KELLOG BROWN & ROOT, TRIPLE CANOPY, etc.

GLOBAL SECURITY SOURCE (GSS)
http://www.globalsecuritysource.com
1363 Anvil Avenue
Rifle, Colorado 81650

Large-scale student opposition to the war in Vietnam only occurred after and because the draft was instituted. The present strategy of the military-industrial complex favored by the executive branch (and accepted by Congress) to privatize the military permits an escalation of boots on the ground without calling for the draft and in such a way that THE LONGER THE WAR LASTS, THE MORE THEY WILL CONTINUE TO PROFIT. The privatization of the military must be opposed and no more funding must be spent on wars for profit.

FUND OUR TROOPS HOME – CUT OFF THE MERCENARIES!

JOIN SFPJ, AND CALL THE COLORADO
BOARD OF HIGHER EDUCATION:
303-866-2723

Students for Peace and Justice along with the rest of the U.S. peace movement are committed to pressuring our Congressional representatives not to pass any more supplementary funding for the war in Iraq. The best way Congress can curtail the Bush administration's war effort is through it's control of the nation's spending. Our Democratic Representative, Mark Udall, continues to support war funding bills that do not set a FIRM deadline for withdrawal.

Here are recent examples of bills Udall approved:

*H.R. 2764: Department of State, Foregin Operations, Related Programs Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2008. This bill has become law. Bascially it was a congressional bill that budgeted for 2008 the operations of the U.S. government. It included 70 billion for the war in Iraq and Afghanistan without withdrawal deadline.
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-2764

*H.R. 1585: National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2008. This supports military activities for the year 2008. It authorizes close to 200 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan (without a timetable) and another 500 billion for Pentagon programs. This bill was vetoed by Bush on a loop-hole that would allow Iraqi civilians would be allowed to sue the current Iraqi government for crimes of the old Iraqi government (Hussein). It is thought that the bill will be rewritten without this clause and Bush will sign it in the very near future.
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-1585

*H.R. 2206: U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act of 2007. This bill provided 100 billion for Iraqi war (again, no timetable) as emergency funding through September of last year. This bill has become law. It was drafted following H.R. 2237 which DID have a withdrawal timetable but was vetoed by Bush.
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-2206

NEW ERA COLORADO’S MEET THE CANDIDATES: U.S. CONGRESS, CD2

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 13:27:09 -0700

On January 28 at the Boulder Theater, we met the candidates for the 2nd Congressional District at an innovative candidate debate before they battled it out in the caucus and primaries!

With music from Whiskey Blanket
And a performance by Andrea Gibson

Who: US Congress Candidates, CD2:
Joan Fitz-Gerald, Jared Polis, and Will Shafroth with special appearances from other candidates and campaigns for the 2008 Caucus!

New Era Colorado's Meet The Candidates
was co-hosted by:
Colorado Young Democrats
Progressive Democrats of America
4.21 Productions
Elephant Magazine
Students For Peace & Justice

Want more information?
info@neweracolorado.org
www.NewEraColorado.org

New Era Colorado is a non-profit organization reinventing politics for our generation through innovative social and political action.

JOHN ASHCROFT: HOW WOULD A REAL PATRIOT ACT?

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:31:35 -0700

Former Attorney General John Ashcroft met fierce opposition when he came to the University of Colorado to speak Tuesday, November 27, 2007. In addition to passing out about 1000 pamphlets explaining our opposition to Ashcroft’s tenure, 22 SFPJ members stood in silent protest with their eyes blindfolded and their mouths gagged with American flags.

In the photo above, SFPJ members Rebecca Diaz and Ryan Hartman demonstrate in front of former Attorney General John Ashcroft.

Rocky Mountain News wrote, “Members of Students for Peace and Justice staged a silent protest at Ashcroft's speech, and a number of people heckled Ashcroft, sometimes snorting in derision, at other times shouting challenges. In many cases, the heckler was escorted out of the auditorium by student ushers.”

The Daily Camera wrote, “A small group of people who identified themselves as CU students stood silently at the beginning of Ashcroft's speech with their eyes blindfolded, mouths gagged and backs turned toward Ashcroft, before being escorted outside the auditorium by authorities.”

The Denver Post wrote, “About 20 student protesters from CU and Naropa University, wearing shirts with "shame" written on the backs and wearing American flags over their faces, welcomed Ashcroft to the stage by standing up and turning their backs to him.

The Colorado Daily wrote, “"Ashcroft has often been a bête noire of the American Left, and it was in that capacity to a vocal group of attendees that he served. The tone of the night was set by the clutch of protesters that quietly handed out leaflets or held up signs outside the venue, and the sweeps with handheld metal detectors and pat-downs applied to incoming ticket holders.

“As soon as the guest speaker took to the stage, approximately one dozen protesters stood in the audience, displaying T-shirts labeled ‘shame’ and covering their eyes with red, white and blue bandanas. Others booed, some hollered, some applauded. And so the evening went.

Click here to read the United Press International article.

Click here to read the Think Progress article.

A STATEMENT FROM
STUDENTS FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE

We plead our First Amendment Right to non-violently register our political dissent and public social criticism of John Ashcroft for his past and present role in the repression of our civil rights and the propagation of war and justice.

• John Ashcroft is directly responsible for the the USA Patriot Act in 2001 as well as the Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003, also known as he Patriot Act II, paving the “legal” way for this authoritarian administration.

• John Ashcroft is also directly responsible for giving a “legal” face for this administration to perform, condone and continue to train others in torture, as well as illegally waging war and subsequent and continuing war crimes.

• John Ashcroft is also directly responsible for “legal” relations between the United States and many foreign nations subject to economic exploitation by our country through so called free trade.

• John Ashcroft continues within the military-industrial-and-congressional complex, now receiving millions while consulting and lobbying for the homeland security industry, such as Oracle Corporation, Nanodetex Corporation, Intelsat General Corporation, Innova Holdings Corporation, Dulles Research, ChoicePoint Corporation, and many others who enrich themselves providing the National Security Agency (NSA) and several other branches of the executive with the necessary means to curtail our civil rights, continue waging illegal wars, and perpetuate the economic exploitation of the majority within our country as well as throughout most of this planet.

FUND OUR TROOPS HOME!

CUT OFF THE MERCENARIES!

REPEAL ALL JOHN ASHCROFT LEGISLATION!

END THE DICTATORSHIP OF THE MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX!

FALL OUT AGAINST THE WAR

Sat, 27 Oct 2007 13:37:49 -0600

On Saturday, October 27, at least 100,000 people from all walks of life and in every part of the country participated in numerous regional demonstrations against the war in Iraq. United for Peace and Justice coordinated the nationwide protests. Meanwhile, Students for Peace and Justice rented an old yellow school bus and chartered about 50 people to Denver for the event.

SFPJ member Alexis Goggans speaks for peace and justice.

SFPJ members Rebecca, Ryan, Jordan, and Duke traveling in a rented yellow school bus to the rally in Denver.

SFPJ members tabling at the steps of the state capital.

SFPJ members Rebecca and Ryan.
Approximately 500 people attended the Denver protest.

Rep. Morgan Carroll, Colorado House District 36

Suzie Q, “Cafe Nuba”

Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) had a
powerful presence at the rally.

IRAQ BODY COUNT

Sun, 21 Oct 2007 13:50:36 -0600

From October 21 to October 29, the Iraq Body Count was displayed on the CU campus. This powerful memorial was originally conceived of by the Indigenous Support Network (ISN), a CU movement dedicated to indigenous people the world over. This year, Students for Peace and Justice teamed with ISN to bring the memorial back to the CU campus.

Since originally appearing on the CU campus in 2004, the memorial has traveled to numerous campuses across the western United States.

The hope of ISN, SFPJ, and other peace organizations is to raise enough money to purchase 1,000,000 flags and take the memorial to the capital lawn in Washington, D.C. You can contribute here.

IRAQ WAR FACTS

~655,000 Iraqi Deaths Due to Violence,
Johns Hopkins University (October 2006)
(According to this statistic, each white flag in the
Iraq Body Count memorial represents about 5 Iraqi deaths.)

~1,000,000 Iraqi Deaths Due to Violence,
Opinion Research Business (October 2007)
Opinion Research Business (January 2008)

3,858 Confirmed U.S. Casualties,
U.S. Department of Defense (November 2007)
(Therefore, each red flag in the Iraq Body Count
memorial represents about 1 U.S. death.)

Economic Cost of the Iraq War ~$1.3 Trillion,
Congress’ Joint Economic Committee (November 2007)

All photos Copyright 2007, Jose Resino.

FUND THEM HOME CAMPAIGN

Mon, 1 Oct 2007 13:28:53 -0600

Fall 2007

SFPJ visited areas where people congregate with our fund them home phone booth throughout the year. You may still join the campaign by calling and/or writing your congress-people every week and asking them to fund the troops home. Additionally, you may contact us using the address below to host the phone booth at the location of your choosing.

expatriate16 at gmail dot com

Please continue to call your congress-people every week, and ask them to:

FUND THEM HOME NOW

BOULDER’S CONGRESS PEOPLE:

Rep. Mark Udall (D)
8601 Turnpike Drive, Suite 206
Westminster, CO 80031
Phone: 303-650-7820
Fax: 303-650-7827

Sen. Wayne Allard (R)
7340 E. Caley, Suite 215
Englewood, CO 80111
Phone: (303) 220-7414
Fax: (303) 220-8126

Sen. Ken Salazar (D)
2300 15th Street, Suite 450
Denver, CO 80202
Phone: (303) 455-7600
Fax: (303) 455-8851

Or to contact any congress-person, click here.

Why should we stop supplemental war funding?
Members of the U.S. peace movement are working to pressure Congressional Democrats not to pass any more supplemental funding for the war in Iraq. This is the best way to bring the war to a close because…
• Any legislation passed by Congress calling for the war’s end would be vetoed by the President, and there is not a strong enough antiwar vote in Congress to override it.
• Even if such a bill was passed, the President might choose to continue the war anyway. Several wars in America’s not too distant past were fought without congressional approval, including Korea, Panama, and Yugoslavia.
• Congress’ greatest power in curtailing war is through its control of the nation’s spending.

Can we cut funding for the war and support
the troops at the same time?
Absolutely! The best way to support the troops is to bring them home out of harms way. And the best way to do that is to cut the funding for the war.
• If congress did not pass another supplemental bill appropriating funds for the war, U.S. troops would not be stranded in Iraq, as some misguided politicians have argued. The annual U.S. military budget (over $420 billion and half of all military spending of all the countries in the world, combined) is more than large enough to bring the troops home.
• And there is nothing barring Democrats in Congress from passing extra spending measures to bring the troops home as fast as possible. In fact, that’s exactly what we’re arguing: Fund them home!

What is Representative Mark Udall’s (D-Colorado) position?
Though Representative Udall says he is opposed to the war in Iraq, he votes to give it extra money every chance he gets.
• Representative Udall says that “as long as there are boots on the ground” he will vote to appropriate billions of dollars toward the war. See Udall’s pro-war voting record here.
• Of course, Representative Udall is missing the point. His goal should not be to continue the war, but to end it as soon as possible and bring our troops home to safety.

Write to Udall’s funders here: Udall's Funders.htm

SFPJ member Shelby calls her
representative in the Fund Them Home Booth.

STUDENTS RISING: A GRASSROOTS ACTIVIST TRAINING

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 13:54:00 -0600

From Friday, September 28, until Saturday, September 29, 2007, Students for Peace and Justice brought you Students Rising: A Grassroots Activist Training.

Nine speakers and performers presented during the Friday teach-in, including Dr. Dahlia Wasfi, Prof. Robert Jensen, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Military Families Speak Out, Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center, and spoken-word poet Andrea Gibson. At the concert Friday night, Acoustic Rosh opened for Debajo del Agua. Then on Saturday, the Ruckus Society provided an all-day activist training.

Click on the following links to read more about the Students Rising speakers, performers, and trainers.

STUDENTS RISING SPEAKERS

STUDENTS RISING PERFORMERS

STUDENTS RISING TRAINERS

STUDENTS RISING: SPEAKERS

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 13:53:03 -0600

Keynote Speaker: Dahlia Wasfi, M.D.
“Bring Them Home Now”
Dr. Dahlia Wasfi was born in 1971 and spent her early childhood in Saddam Hussein's Iraq, until she returned with her family to the United States in 1977. Wasfi graduated from Swarthmore College in 1993 with a B.A. in Biology, and in 1997 graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. In February/March of 2004, after years of separation, Wasfi visited Iraq to see her family in Basrah and Baghdad. She journeyed to Iraq again for a 3-month visit in 2006. Based on her experiences, she is speaking out against the negative impact of the U.S. invasion on the Iraqi people and the need to end the occupation.

Robert Jensen, Ph.D., University of Texas
“Iraq War: Imperial Racism?”
Prof. Robert Jensen completed his Ph.D. in media ethics and law in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota. Prior to his academic career, he worked as a professional journalist for a decade. At UT, Jensen teaches courses in media law, ethics, and politics.

Jensen is the author of The Heart of Whiteness: Confronting Race, Racism and White Privilege (City Lights, 2005); Citizens of the Empire: The Struggle to Claim Our Humanity (City Lights, 2004); and Writing Dissent: Taking Radical Ideas from the Margins to the Mainstream (Peter Lang, 2001); and co-editor with David S. Allen of Freeing the First Amendment: Critical Perspectives on Freedom of Expression (New York University Press, 1995).

Ira Chernus, Ph.D., University of Colorado
“How Peace Movements Can Make Difference”
Professor Ira Chernus teaches Religious Studies at CU Boulder. His research focuses on the discourse of peace, war, foreign policy, and nationalism in the United States, especially during the cold war and the nuclear age, and how that discourse has affected our public culture and life up to the present.

Chernus recently published the book Monsters to Destroy: The Neoconservative War on Terror and Sin, about the connections between conservative religion, “moral values,” and national (in)security policy in the Bush administration and among its supporters. In addition, Chernus authored the textbook American Nonviolence: The History of an Idea, which covers the intellectual history of nonviolence since colonial times.

One of Chernus’ hobbies is writing newspaper (op-ed) columns, many of which are published on www.commondreams.org and other venues.

Carolyn Bninski and LeRoy Moore, Activists
“The Occupation Project: Strategies and Stories
From the Effort to Stop the War”
Carolyn Bninski works on the staff of the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center. She has been engaged as an activist for over thirty years in opposing war and in working for social justice. Recently, Bninski was sentenced to 30 days in jail for spending no more than six minutes in the office of Rep. Mark Udall (D) with two SFPJ members and other activists. Bninski and the others sat in Udall’s office as a part of The Occupation Project: A Campaign of Sustained Nonviolent Civil Disobedience to end the Iraq War.

LeRoy Moore left the academic world for the activist world in 1978 when he learned about the existence of the Rocky Flats nuclear bomb factory a few miles south of Boulder. Though over the years he has worked on a wide range of issues, he is perhaps best known for activity to abolish nuclear weapons and to achieve a responsible cleanup of the badly contaminated Rocky Flats site. From 1980 till 1996, he taught courses on nonviolent social change at the University of Colorado. In 1983, he and five others founded the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center.

Vrnda Noel, Mother
Military Families Speak Out

Vrnda Noel is the mother of an Iraq war veteran, Eli. In addition to being an active member of Military Families Speak Out, Noel is a friend of poet/activist Andrea Gibson. Gibson wrote the poem For Eli for Noel and her son. (Daily Camera Photo)

David Mann and Jared Hood
Iraq Veterans Against the War
David Mann is a second generation soldier who followed his father’s footsteps into the Army. He was deployed to Iraq twice. Mann is strongly against the Iraq war, and he wishes that more soldiers would speak up to oppose it. Mann currently attends the University of Colorado and he is an active member of SFPJ.

Jared Hood is a 24 year-old student at Metro State College of Denver and serves in the Army National Guard. In 2004, he was deployed to Iraq, and his involvement there led him to oppose the war. He has applied for Conscientious Objection Honorable Discharge for moral and ethical reasons stating, “I cannot train and support a nation that condones illegal war.”

Eric Bonds, University of Colorado
“Environment and War”
Eric Bonds is a long-time environmental and peace activist. After graduating from the University of Wyoming, he worked professionally as a grassroots organizer for the environmental organization Biodiversity Conservation Alliance. Bonds has worked for just as long to stop war and promote peace, beginning with his efforts to help end the crippling sanctions imposed on the people of Iraq by the U.S. government and continuing with his efforts to end the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In his work as a peace activist, Bonds co-founded Stand Up For Peace, the only peace and justice organization in the state of Wyoming.

Recently, Bonds (center in the photo) was arrested with Carolyn Bninski and several others for spending no more than six minutes in the office of Rep. Mark Udall (D). Bonds and the others sat in Udall’s office as a part of The Occupation Project: A Campaign of Sustained Nonviolent Civil Disobedience to end the Iraq War. Following his arrest, Bonds and fellow activist Duke W. Austin (left in photo) decided to form an organization on campus that would empower other students to join the anti-war movement. With the help of several others, Students for Peace and Justice (SFPJ) was born.

STUDENTS RISING: PERFORMERS

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 13:52:57 -0600

Andrea Gibson, Poet and Activist
Andrea Gibson moved from New Orleans to Colorado in 1999, where she began attending weekly poetry readings at Denver's political hub, The Mercury Café. Within a short time, she had rushed the slam poet scene, becoming a four-time Denver Grand Slam Champion and taking 4th place at the 2004 National Poetry Slam. Andrea also performs with Vox Feminista, a multi-passionate performance tribe of radical, political women bent on social change through cultural revolution.

Gibson’s poetry deconstructs the foundations of the current political machine, highlighting issues such as patriarchy, gender norms, white-supremacy, and capitalist culture. Her words are honest, humble and "oh my god, I can't believe you said that in public!" (ex-girlfriend #4).

Gibson is an independent artist who has self-released three CDs, Bullets and Windchimes, Swarm, and When the Bough Breaks as well as one book, Trees that Grow in Cemeteries.

Acoustic Rosh
Guitarist and composer Rosh has been an integral, innovative, and well-loved part of the progressive folk-music scene in Boulder. He is the original founder of the local folk-rock band Down with Naked.

Debajo del Agua

Formed in Denver, CO, Debajo del Agua is composed of musicians from Chile, Peru, El Salvador, and Los Estados.They mix Latin rhythms with socially-conscious hip-hop lyrics.

PHOTOS

Acoustic Rosh (left) and SFPJ member Duke Austin (right) welcomed visitors to the Students Rising Concert at Burnt Toast.

Stephen, of Debajo del Agua, performs during the concert.

SFPJ members Mike (left) and Vyga (right) Baratta.

Debajo del Agua

Debajo del Agua

Ethan (right), the Burnt Toast bartender, ensured
that no one went thirsty.

SFPJ member Trevor McGill watches Debajo del Agua
from the staircase.

SFPJ member Duke (middle) and Tim (left) discuss activist philosophy while Acoustic Rosh (right) looks on.

Outside Burnt Toast during the concert

Burnt Toast, at 1235 Pennsylvania, donated a portion
of their proceeds to SFPJ.

Students for Peace & Justice

STUDENTS RISING: TRAINERS

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 13:50:22 -0600

The Ruckus Society
“We are living in a time of extreme challenges: stopping the war in Iraq, thwarting climate change catastrophes, reclaiming the commons from corporations, conquering our addiction to oil, and protecting human rights. In order to effectively meet these challenges, now, more than ever, environmental and social justice organizers must develop winning strategies that are creative, nonviolent, and take their lead from impacted communities. By building on the traditions of leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., we, at The Ruckus Society, provide our partner organizations and activists with the tools, training, and support necessary to tackle these problems and achieve their goals.”

PHOTOS

Ruckus Society Trainers Marty (standing, left) and Sharon (standing, right) gave lessons on strategic campaign planning and non-violent direct action.

Ruckus Society Trainer Marty explains the positives direct action planning.

Ruckus Society Trainer Sharon (background) waits her turn while SFPJ members Maximilian von Reckers (foreground) and Michael Baratta (right) listen intently.

SFPJ members Jessica Lilly (left), Trevor McGill (middle), and Tim Hillman (right) explain their plan while Ruckus Society Trainer Sharon (foreground) provides constructive feedback.

BOULDER TO BURMA

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 14:01:48 -0600

On Thursday, students and activists staged a silent march in solidarity with oppressed pro-democracy forces in Burma. The march was sponsored by SFPJ and several other local organizations.

ART FOR PEACE SAKE

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 14:04:13 -0600

On Thursday, September 20, 2007, SFPJ provided two large graffiti walls for students to paint their reactions to the war in Iraq. In addition, SFPJ performed “Flushed Away!” on the steps of the Norlin Library.

In “Flushed Away,” a war profiteer flushes civil liberties, sons, daughters, and other national treasures down a giant toilet representing the war in Iraq. Finally, citizens revolt and flush the war profiteer. Then, they plunge the sons and daughters from the metaphorical toilet and bring them home in ships.

SFPJ credits students from the University of Wisconsin for the street theater script. Click here to see their version of “Flushed Away!”

ART FOR PEACE SAKE PROPS BUILD

Sat, 8 Sep 2007 14:06:43 -0600

SFPJ members met to build the props and graffiti walls needed for Art for Peace Sake, which took place Thursday, September 20, on the steps of the Norlin Library.

PHOTOS

We joked that we should have called the build
“Power Tools for Peace.”

Eric Bonds (left) and Duke Austin (right) make the graffiti walls.

Trevor McGill displays the giant toilet cut-out.

Eric Bonds (left) and Michael Baratta (right) give an
appropriate SFPJ salute.

(Left to Right) Michael Baratta, Maximilian von Reckers, Joy Hamilton, and Trevor McGill paint the props.

Joy Hamilton supports bringing the troops home now.

Maximilian von Reckers shows off his artistic side.

Duke Austin says there is no toilet large enough to represent the quagmire of the Iraq war...

...no matter how well it’s painted.

INDEPENDENCE DAY RALLY

Wed, 4 Jul 2007 14:08:28 -0600

On July 4, 2007, the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center (RMPJ) planned a peace rally in front of the Boulder courthouse. SFPJ was invited to speak at the event, and SFPJ member Jessica Prince gave a rousing speech, mentioning that the U.S. image abroad was being tarnished by the Iraq war.

While RMPJ has a similar name and purpose to that of SFPJ, the two groups are unaffiliated.

PHOTOS

Boulder Residents gather around the courthouse for the July 4th Peace Rally,

SFPJ member Jessica Prince gave a rousing speech in front of the Boulder courthouse.

MAY DAY DIE IN

Tue, 1 May 2007 14:11:17 -0600

On May 1, 2003, President Bush stood on the deck of an aircraft carrier, and declared “Mission Accomplished.” In the four years since the end of “major combat operations,” thousands of US soldiers and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have died.

In a mock celebration of “Mission Accomplished,” the Students for Peace & Justice staged a die in to honor those who have died in Iraq and to highlight our stance against continued US occupation there. Over 150 people participated in the die in, 125 people joined SFPJ, and at least 3 local news outlets covered the event. (Not bad for an organization’s inaugural event.)

Read the Colorado Daily article here.

THE OCCUPATION PROJECT

Thu, 8 Mar 2007 14:12:28 -0700

At The Westminster Office of Rep. Mark Udall (D)

On February 5, 2007 Voices for Creative Nonviolence launched the Occupation Project, a campaign of sustained nonviolent civil disobedience aimed at ending funding for the U.S. war in and occupation of Iraq. CODEPINK, Declaration of Peace, Veterans for Peace and other national organizations joined in organizing the campaign.

Between February 5 and April 17 (Tax Day), over 320 arrests occurred in the offices of 39 Representatives and Senators. The campaign spread nationally, with actions taking place in over 25 states from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon and from Fairbanks, Alaska to Huntsville, Alabama.

On March 8, 2007, Eric Bonds and Duke W. Austin were arrested in the office of Rep. Mark Udall (D) as members of The Occupation Project. Along with three others, they committed to peacefully occupying Udall’s office until he promised to stop funding the war that he claims to oppose. After only five minutes, the police entered and took the five activists to jail.

Bonds and Austin discussed fighting their sentence as a means to advance the anti-war movement. However, they eventually decided that their time would be better spent by pleading guilty (to avoid what could be a lengthy trial) and using their connection with the CU campus to empower more students to get involved in the peace movement. With the help of many others, Students for Peace and Justice was born out of that decision.

NEWS COVERAGE
Click on the links below to read selected news
coverage of The Occupation Project.

Revived Protests Seek Firm Footing
Denver Post article by Kevin Simpson, March 18, 2007

War: Pressure Congress on Iraq and Iran
Letters to the Editor, March 18, 2007

SFPJ member Duke Austin on the
cover of www.MichaelMoore.com

The Occupation Project on the front page of the Colorado Daily

SFPJ members Duke Austin (left) and Eric Bonds (third from left) enter with two other peace activists - David and Rob (rmpjc.org photo).

Duke Austin and Eric Bonds

The activists wrote their grievances concerning the Iraq war while in the office of Rep. Mark Udall (D).
(Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center photo)

David, Duke Austin, Carolyn Bninski, and Eric Bonds

Rep. Udall’s adminstrative assistant (left) gave told the activists that he would call the police if they were still in Udall’s office after five minutes (Rocky Mountain News Photo).

A Westminster police officer handcuffs SFPJ member Duke Austin (Rocky Mountain News photo).

SFPJ member Eric Bonds is escorted out of the building by a Westminster police officer (Rocky Mountain News photo).

SFPJ members Duke Austin (left) and Eric Bonds (right), in police custody (Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center photo).

THE OCCUPATION PROJECT CONTINUES
On August 6, 2007 a reinvigorated Occupation Project campaign launched with acts of nonviolent civil disobedience / civil resistance and office occupations occurring through at least the end of September.

The demand of the campaign is simple. Representatives and Senators: Publicly commit to voting against any funding for the Iraq war or we will nonviolently occupy your offices.

We invite your participation and your organization’s endorsement. To become involved with this campaign, please contact Voices for Creative Non-Violence via phone at 773-878-3815 or via e-mail, occupationproject@vcnv.org.

BLANK ACTIONS & EVENTS ENTRY

Mon, 1 Jan 2007 13:06:50 -0700

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