Seven Ticketed at Ron Kind's La Crosse Office

From Anita:

On the fourth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, about 50 people gathered outside Ron Kind's La Crosse office to demand no more money for war and to bring the troops home now. A majority of the crowd were college students. Inside, seven people talked with the aide to Kind and stayed until the police came in to issue trespassing tickets. It was a useful dialogue for ourselves, if not the aide. When one hears others talking for an hour on the subject with such intensity and passion, looking the police in the eyes and refusing to leave is not that difficult. Read more below - including how you can help!
Two twelve year olds stayed until asked to leave by the police...they almost decided to remain but saw upfront what it was like to sit in .... they say next time they may not leave.

We have been highly conditioned to obey the law, yet we allow Congress and the President not only to break the national, international and moral laws, but Constitutional laws as well.... and, how many of us have had a few too many and drove home? or inhaled? or sped down the highway? All these acts are breaking the law and put one's self at risk of arrest and having a record. To occupy the office of an official and demand accountability at the risk of one's arrest was much easier this time.

The fine of $90 or two days in jail (which a possible outcome) feels insignificant when considering 650,000 Iraqis have died at the hands of the US and $2,000 a SECOND is being spent for the invasion and occupation...with no end in site!

The aide said that the phone has been quiet at the office about the war during the last few months.

We know how frustrating it feels to just talk to the staffer, but I highly encourage everyone to call...again and again and again as you hear new bills being proposed. Kind needs to know what you think.

Please mark your calendars and attend the following if possible:

April 11 is a town hall listening session with Kind in La Crosse.

April 25 is our first court appearance for the trespassing charge. Keith Belzer has graciously consented to represent us again as most of us will probably go to trial on the issue.

Peace,
Anita

THE HUMAN COST OF THE IRAQ WAR

TUESDAY, MARCH 20 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Port o' Call, Cartwright Center, UW-L (corner of State Street and Campbell Road)

Read an account of the Eyes Wide Open exhibit in Viroqua at Kicktime.

Eyes Wide Open, the American Friends Service Committee’s widely-acclaimed exhibition on the human cost of the Iraq War, features a pair of boots honoring each U.S. military casualty, a field of shoes and a Wall of Remembrance to memorialize the Iraqis killed in the conflict, and a multimedia display exploring the history, cost and consequences of the war.

Since 1917, the American Friends Service Committee has championed the dignity and worth of every individual, the sanctity of human life and humanity's collective responsibility to promote peace. For almost 90 years of work in war zones on four continents, we have gained an intimate knowledge of the costs and horrors of war.

When this exhibit was unveiled by our Chicago office in January 2004, there were 504 pairs of boots symbolizing the lost lives of U.S. soldiers in Iraq. With each passing week, each stop in a new city, more pairs of boots are added to represent the newly fallen. Alongside the boots stands a wall of remembrance with the names of the more than 11,000 Iraqi civilians who have been killed since the U.S.-led invasion.

As the exhibit makes its appearances across the country, families and friends come to grieve for lost loved ones and strangers honor those who gave their lives to a cause far from home.

At each stop, person after person leaves notes of commemoration, photographs of lost soldiers, identification tags, flowers, and American flags to accompany the boots on their journey.

Although a majority of Americans now believe this war is a tragic misadventure, the human cost of the Iraq War grows every day. How many more boots will be standing at silent attention before this war ends, before Iraqis and American soldiers are out of harm's way?

This traveling exhibit is a memorial to those who have fallen and a witness to our belief that no war can justify its human cost.


Mary Ellen McNish,
General Secretary, AFSC

STOP THIS WAR (and the next one, too)

March 17 is the fourth anniversary of "Shock and Awe," the military horror show that was supposed to be the ultimate Rumsfeldian conquista.

Well, here we are, four years later and the shock and awe have worn off. What we have here is a major mess, complete with thousands of dead and maimed; a country contaminated by depleted uranium; children faced with a bleak future of prostitution, drugs, missing limbs and more; a "new" army where women soldiers have as much to fear from their fellow soldiers as from the "enemy" and where veterans are getting a big one-finger salute from the "support the troops" crowd; a military budget that is soaring out of control, and a White House that doesn't give a flying fuck what the Congress, the American people, the Iraqis, the world or anyone thinks. By the way, the cost TO LA CROSSE for this debacle so far is just about $45,000,000.00. (That's Million with an M.)

Representative Ron Kind, fence-sitter esquire, has not helped. He voted for the war but then he signed a letter asking the Decider to "let the inspections work," he says he wouldn't have voted for it, he says we can't just leave, he says, says, says ... but no action.

We want action. So we will take action. Monday, March 19 at 4:00 p.m. at the Exchange Building, 205 Fifth Ave. S. (Fifth and Jay) please come to let Rep. Kind know that we want action now on ending the occupation of Iraq. No more money for war. Bring troops home. NOW.

Also, if you can sign up to stand at Kind's office ONE OR MORE HOURS PER WEEK at a regular time, please contact Cathy. We may put up an online sign up form but for now, please contact Cathy to reserve your one hour a week, every week, contribution to bringing an end to the Iraq occupation.

And, don't forget on Tuesday, March 20 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. visit the Eyes Wide Open exhibit at the Cartwright Center, UW-L. And at 7 p.m. there will be a Veterans' Forum on the True Cost of War. The public is invited; it's free.

There are several other actions planned for March 17. Read more below.

Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice has an extensive list of Wisconsin and other events.

There will be a march and vigil in Winona from noon to 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 17, on Gilmore Avenue at the entrance to the Winona Mall which is nearby the military recruiting station. Sponsored by Winona Area Peacemakers, the protest rally is part of a national mobilization to oppose a war that has lasted longer than the American Civil War or U.S. involvement in World War II. The theme of the protest rally is: "NOT ONE MORE DEATH - NOT ONE MORE DOLLAR".

There's also March on the Pentagon.

URGENT - MEETING FRIDAY MORNING WITH KOHL

[UPDATE: "Kohl discusses Iraq with war protesters"]

Kohl's office has finally notified the "La Crosse Six" of their meeting place.

Radisson Hotel, 200 Harborview Plaza, Front Lobby, 10:30 a.m.

Organizers suggest that people meet at 10:00 a.m. on the street/sidewalk by the parking lot in back of the Radisson Hotel where leaders will direct and get you organized.

This is an opportunity to show Kohl that there are many of us who want the free flow of money for war to stop now. We want him to support legislation to cut funding for more war and bring all U.S. troops home (and no permanent bases, either.)

For background, see below the fold.

Senator Kohl has pretty much gone along with the Bush administration. H voted in favor of giving the criminal Bush unlimited war-making authority. Then he said the problem was that they'd done it wrong. When it's safe and he doesn't have to DO anything, he can sound tough.

But is he tough enough to meet with constituents? Apparently not.

Read more about the protest at the La Crosse Tribune.

Feingold says NO!

Today was the "virtual march to oppose the surge." I hope you contacted Senators Kohl and Feingold. Even as hundreds of thousands of voters across the country called their representatives, Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan had thrown in the towel on behalf of all of us.

His compromise resolution, worked out with Republican Senator John Warner, is "a mistake," says Sen. Feingold. (Read his blog here.)

Feingold rightly points out that,

"It rejects the surge, but it also misunderstands the situation in Iraq and endorses the President’s underlying approach. It’s basically a back-door authorization of the President’s misguided policies, and passing it would be a big mistake. Under the guise of constructive criticism, the Warner-Levin resolution signs off on the President continuing indefinite military operations in Iraq that will not address the fundamental political challenges in Iraq, and that continue to distract us from developing a comprehensive and global approach to the threats that face our nation."

Now is the time to contact Senators Feingold and Kohl and tell them to not just oppose this resolution, but push for passage of Bring the Troops Home and Iraq Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2007 and the bi-partisan, H. R. 645, the Comprehensive Strategy for Iraq Act of 2007.

More below.


With new reports that say the "surge" could be up to 50,000 and that the Decider will strike Iran soon, it's time to light a fire under these Democrats whose new power comes straight from the anti-war vote.

They can't continue this silly badminton game while the Decider is playing at World Wrestling Smack-Down.