September Showdown or Sellout? The Choice is Ours!
Congress returns on September 4th after a month's vacation. It has been 8 months since this Congress took power with a mandate to end the occupation of Iraq and hold Bush and Cheney to the rule of law. This Congress has funded the occupation, legalized unconstitutional spying, and promised never to impeach. Will this trend continue? Can we afford to allow it to? We have killed over a million people, and the death rate is double this year what it was last year, according to the Associated Press.
There are signs that the tide may be turning. A serious movement in Congress to impeach Gonzales helped lead to his departure. Twenty congress members of conscience have signed onto articles of impeachment for Cheney. Congressman John Conyers says he wants impeachment proponents to come to his office to urge him on (watch the video). And 70 congress members have committed to oppose funding the occupation, while funding a withdrawal by January 2009 or sooner.
What can we do to push Congress in the direction of peace and justice? Big marches are planned for the 15th and the 29th in Washington, but the pressure will be all month long. September has something for everyone!
There are local events all over the country on the September calendar. Here are some of the most exciting national (and international) dates:
Aug. 29 - Sept. 2: International Tribunal on Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in New Orleans, La.: http://www.internationaltribunal.org
Aug. 31 - Sept. 1: People's Poll and Peace Rally in Ft. Worth, Texas. This will be a huge protest at the time and place where the Republican Party is planning to have 20,000 delegates from throughout the U.S. and all of the Republican presidential candidates attend their Straw Poll Convention: http://www.texansforpeace.org/peoplespoll/schedule.htm
Sept. 4: Stand watch over Congress! Join us in the gallery and STAND to show we are watching what this Congress does: http://www.americastandswatch.org
Sept. 6: Call Congress! This one is for everybody. Call your representative and your two senators at 202-224-3121. Tell them: I want you to act now to end the war and occupation of Iraq. The Congress has the Constitutional right and a moral responsibility to use the power of the purse to withdraw all U.S. soldiers and contractors from Iraq on a rapid and binding schedule. Four and a half years of this war is too long - it has to end now!
Sept. 7: Choose Peace Concert! Emma's Revolution, Randi Driscoll, Free Radicalz, and more, in New York City: http://www.democrats.com/node/14104
Sept. 8-16: Vacation for Peace in Italy!
The people of Vicenza, Italy, have been struggling against the construction of a proposed new U.S. military base in their city. They have organized a week of camping, actions, debates, rallies, concerts and initiatives. Join them: http://afterdowningstreet.org/node/26308
Sept. 8: The War and Rural America! Farmers and veterans meet in New York City: http://www.democrats.com/node/14102
Sept. 11: March of the People Arrives in DC just in time for the White House's expected sales pitch for extending the occupation: http://www.marchofthepeople.org
Sept. 11: Washington, D.C.: 3 PM to 7 AM following day, all night vigil in front of Tower Guard, by the Capitol Building, with the Action Response Team reading 12,000 impeachment cards with messages from people all over the Country to impeach Bush and Cheney! Come join and read some of these incredible hand written messages: http://www.arrestcheneyfirst.org
Sept. 12: "Tell the Truth" event outside your local media outlet: http://www.democrats.com/node/14134
Sept. 12: 11 AM, deliver 12,000 impeachment messages to Nancy Pelosi personally. All are welcome to attend and stay for a nice chat with the Democratic Leader! http://www.arrestcheneyfirst.org
Sept. 14-21: Days of Decision, nonviolent action at congressional offices to end the occupation of Iraq: http://www.declarationofpeace.org
SEPTEMBER 15:
Thousands of Americans from around the country will join together in Washington, D.C., to demand the impeachment of Dick Cheney and George W. Bush and insist on the immediate end to the occupation in Iraq. Please join us: http://www.impeachbush.org
Or hold a local event:
Use the occassion of September 15 to hold an impeachment rally in your town. You'll find big marches in Alabama, Kansas, and Florida on the calendar, and several more here. Hold your own. Visit your congress member's offices. Hold a Honk-to-Impeach event. Hold a sit-in. Screen a video. Event resources are here: http://afterdowningstreet.org/eventresources
Sept. 16: Lobby training in Washington, D.C., and organizing meetings, issue briefings, legislative updates, state caucuses. Grassroots America, Iraq Vets Against the War, A.N.S.W.E.R., Veterans for Peace, AfterDowningStreet, and many other organizations have planned a full day of opportunities for networking and advocacy training: http://www.grassrootsamerica4us.org
Sept. 17: Constitution Day, Goodbye Gonzo Day, and National Truth in Recruiting Day: Iraq Veterans Against the War is launching a Truth in Recruiting campaign on September 17, 2007. IVAW chapters around the country, including Washington DC, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia, will be holding local events, but you don’t need an IVAW chapter in your area to participate: http://www.ivaw.org
Sept. 18: Congressional Challenge Day: If you can be in Washington, D.C., plan to go with us to visit your Congress Member and Senators: http://www.grassrootsamerica4us.org
Sept. 19: Iraq Forum: on Capitol Hill with Dr. William Polk hosted by the Congressional Progressive Caucus. It will be from 9:30-noon in the Cannon Caucus Room and it will feature discussion of Polk's new book entitled "Violent Politics: A History of Insurgency, Terrorism and Guerilla War from the American Revolution to Iraq." Also, there will be panels on Iran on the same day in the US Capitol HC-6 from 10:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Sept. 20: Rivers of Blood - A Day of Non-Violent Resistance in DC: There will be a legal and logistical briefing on September 19 at 6:30 p.m. followed by a day of nonviolent action on Capitol Hill: http://www.democrats.com/node/13713
Sept. 20: Protest Racism in Jena, La. On September 20th, Mychal Bell--the first of the Jena 6 to be convicted--is scheduled for sentencing. If the District Attorney has his way, Mychal will face 22 years in prison. It's a horrifying moment for Mychal, his parents, and the rest of the Jena 6 families. It's also a perfect time for those who can to come to Jena, in person, and stand with them: http://www.democrats.com/node/14126
Sept. 21: International Day of Peace / Iraq Moratorium Day! On September 21 and on every subsequent Third Friday, millions of Americans will break with their daily routine to take some concrete step to demand an end to the war and the return home of the troops. The hallmark will be the wearing of black ribbons and armbands, in mourning for all of those who have died in this senseless adventure: http://www.Iraqmoratorium.org Also in Spanish: http://moratorioirak.org
Sept. 25: New York City, NY: 8:30 AM to ALL DAY LONG: George Bush visits the UN General Assembly, we will not allow the time of his visit to go unnoticed! Join in marches around the city, acts of CD, and lots of other events to show the world we want the war criminal out of our city! http://www.stopbushsept25.org
Sept. 22-29: Stop the War at Home and Abroad! Troops Out Now! Impeach Bush & Cheney for War Crimes! End All Occupations -- from Iraq to Palestine to Haiti to the Philippines!
SEPT 22-29: Encampment in Front of Congress to STOP the War (will include an Impeachment Day)
Parallel Encampment and Demo in Los Angeles
SEPTEMBER 29: National March on Washington: http://www.troopsoutnow.org
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The Next War
Through it all, we need to keep up the pressure to prevent an attack on Iran. Please sign the petition, read the latest news, and be prepared:
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Impeachment of Dick Cheney - H Res 333
I have been for impeachment of both Cheney and Bush for awhile now. I have signed petitions, called and sent correspondence to my congressman (Mark Udall (D) Colorado), Nancy Pelosi, John Conyers, the entire Judiciary Committee et al.
Like many others, I am frustrated by the failure of our Congress (except Dennis Kuchnich and the other 19 members who co-sponsored H Res 333) to do anything about the actions of Cheney, Bush and all the other corrupt folks they have surrounding them and bringing this country down.
John Conyers, while I applaud many of his recent efforts, cannot go the impeachment route alone and he cannot keep dangling the bait over others heads enticing honest American citizens with the possibility of impeachment.
I applaud Dennis Kuchnich for introducing H Res 333 several months ago. I do feel that many more articles of impeachment against Cheney should be included in the three already outlined in the resolution. The Judiciary Committee chaired by Conyers has made some inroads to their investigations, but without compliance of subpenas, people like Gonzalez perjuring themselves or engaging in obstruction of justice, how can there be any real progress or findings of fact?
My dismay has been the responses I have gotten from Congressman Mark Udall of Colorado. He has consistently said he does not support impeachment of either Cheney or Bush and feels diplomacy is the order of the day with these thugs. He feels the investigations should continue and my question to his office consistently has been "How can you have a thorough and complete investigation, or findings if the "President's" minions can thumb their noses to testifying truthfully, ignore subpenas, lie (perjury), commit obstruction of justice etc.?" Just like Bush's response with the Iraq War, I can read between the lines of Congressman Udall's responses to "stay the course" (my words) and allow Democrats to keep making nice nice while Cheney/Bush thugs keep steamrolling them into compliance and complacency. The worst response yet was when I called Mark Udalls' office (again) to urge his support to co- sponsor H Res 333. After explaining my justifications, the staff member who answered the phone snapped and said that what I was asking for (articles of impeachment against Cheney and Bush) that Impeachment was a DRACONIAN action and made out like I was a horrible person for even suggesting such action. I told the staff member that I was apalled that someone, especially working in a Congressman's office, would be so ignorant as to term impeachment DRACONIAN considering that this country's Constitution happens to mention impeachment 6 times in this sacred document for a reason. To which I then asked him if he felt the Founding Fathers of our country were being DRACONIAN when they drafted our US Constitution and by including impeachment in it 6 times? He then backed off, took my message to pass along to Congressman Udall for what it is worth. People need to become informed as to how their elected representatives plan to vote, how they plan to proceed on issues so WE THE PEOPLE can determine if they are doing the job we voted for them to do. If they are not, they need to get voted out of office and citizens need to elect officials who will be their representative. Period, end of story.
Sincerely,
Patricia Krayeski
Colorado