March 19, 2008: the 5th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, the beginning of the 6th year of war and occupation, the 6th year of senseless death and massive destruction.
The Northland Anti-War Coalition is organizing a set of events around the 5th anniversary that will manifest the intensifying opposition to the war and help strengthen our movement. We invite you to work with us to ensure the success of these actions.
-WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19
From noon to 1pm we'll be holding a peace vigil at the Duluth Civic Center plaza [100 N. 5th Ave. W.] Halfway through the vigil, at 12:30, we'll be holding a press conference will community leaders and activists to commemorate the 5th anniversary and announce our March 21 protest. We'll have extra signs on hand for the vigil, but feel free to make and bring your own.
-FRIDAY, MARCH 21
A. Protest March: We'll be assembling at 5:30pm at the MN Power Plaza [Lake Ave. & Superior St. in downtown Duluth] for a march to the YWCA [202 W. 2nd Street].
B. Indoor Rally: Once we arrive at the YWCA we'll have an indoor rally at 6:15pm at the Trepanier Hall.
C. Potluck/Social/Silent Auction: From 7 to 8pm, also in the YWCA Trepanier Hall, we'll be holding a potluck/social hour, along with a silent auction. [Silent auction items and food for the potluck can be dropped off at the Trepanier hall before starting at 5pm. Anything you bring though that isn't eater or bought in the auction you'll need to take back.]
D. Mini Film Fest: From 8 to 10pm we'll be holding a mini peace film fest, with four films showing at the same time at the YWCA and at the Men as Peacemakers office across the street in the Arrowhead Building.
All of the above events are free and open to the public. Our goal is to provide a powerful, as well as supportive and educational commemoration of the beginning of this unjust war. We urge you to try to attend, and to bring as many people as possible with you to show that the Northland still says NO TO WAR!
For more info about this event, to volunteer, or to endorse, you can contact the Northland Anti-War Coalition at (715) 394-6660, adamritscher@gmail.com or at P.O. Box 16853, Duluth MN 55816. You can also find out more at our blog at http://northlandantiwar.blogspot.com
February 29, 2008
Report on the 02.24.08 NAWC Meeting
-Attendance: Joel K., Andy A., David M., Colette K., Peter K., Hal B., and Adam R.
-Chair: Adam R.
-Note Taker: Adam R.
---------------------------------------
1. COMMITTEE REPORTS:
-The Process Committee had nothing to report.
-The Vision Committee had nothing to report.
-The Financial Committee is planning on doing a fund appeal mailing and a silent auction at our March 21 protest.
-The Outreach Committee will be doing a mailing this Saturday [March 1] at 2pm at Colette's house. The mailing will contain a fund appeal letter, and info about our upcoming March 19 & 21 protests.
2. IVAW REPORT: On Feb. 13 we hosted Iraq Veterans Against the War teach-ins at three area campuses. 75 attended at UWS, 61 at CSS and 66 at UMD. That's over 200 people total. We got a lot of coverage in the DNT, Labor World, campus newspapers, as well as local radio and TV stations. It was discussed that we need to pick our moderators more in advance so they can be prepared.
3. RNC REPORT: Colette reported on the recent Twin Cities planning meeting for the upcoming protest at the Republican National Convention that she and Gary attended on behalf of NAWC and Vets for Peace. We'll need to organize buses from Duluth to this event, which we'll take up at a future meeting. She passed out a written report about the conference and recommended that folks check out this website for more info. http://protestrnc2008.org/
4. 5TH ANNIVERSARY PROTEST: We're going to hold a one hour vigil from noon to 1pm at the Duluth Civic Center plaza on Wednesday, March 19. Half way through that vigil we'll have a press conference with local community leaders and activists to commemorate the 5th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, and to invite folks to attend our March 21 action. On Friday, March 21 we'll assemble at 5:30pm at the MN Power Plaza. From there we'll march to the YWCA, where we'll have an indoor rally starting at 6:15. Following the rally we'll have a potluck and silent auction, and then from 8-10pm we'll have a mini-film fest.
We have four slots for the film fest to fill. If you have a film you'd like to show you can contact Andy A. at (218).
We also brainstormed for speakers to invite to our press conference and indoor rally, and worked out details for the potluck and silent auction.
Regular sized color fliers, and black and white half sheet fliers have been made up for the event. Next week we'll also have 11 x 17 black and white fliers. If you'd like fliers to distribute you can call Adam at (715) 394-6660, send him an email at mnsocialist@yahoo.com or drop by and pick some up from his porch at 1506 N. 19th St. in Superior.
5. VOICES FROM IRAQ: Peter discussed an idea of his to hold a forum with local speakers who are from Iraq, or have been to Iraq. We'll discuss this further at a future meeting.
6 NEXT MEETING: The next NAWC meeting will be on Sunday, March 9 at 2pm at the Chester Creek Cafe. David M. will be the facilitator. If you have agenda items that you would like discussed at this meeting, please email them in advance to David at loavesfishesduluth@riseup.net
-Chair: Adam R.
-Note Taker: Adam R.
---------------------------------------
1. COMMITTEE REPORTS:
-The Process Committee had nothing to report.
-The Vision Committee had nothing to report.
-The Financial Committee is planning on doing a fund appeal mailing and a silent auction at our March 21 protest.
-The Outreach Committee will be doing a mailing this Saturday [March 1] at 2pm at Colette's house. The mailing will contain a fund appeal letter, and info about our upcoming March 19 & 21 protests.
2. IVAW REPORT: On Feb. 13 we hosted Iraq Veterans Against the War teach-ins at three area campuses. 75 attended at UWS, 61 at CSS and 66 at UMD. That's over 200 people total. We got a lot of coverage in the DNT, Labor World, campus newspapers, as well as local radio and TV stations. It was discussed that we need to pick our moderators more in advance so they can be prepared.
3. RNC REPORT: Colette reported on the recent Twin Cities planning meeting for the upcoming protest at the Republican National Convention that she and Gary attended on behalf of NAWC and Vets for Peace. We'll need to organize buses from Duluth to this event, which we'll take up at a future meeting. She passed out a written report about the conference and recommended that folks check out this website for more info. http://protestrnc2008.org/
4. 5TH ANNIVERSARY PROTEST: We're going to hold a one hour vigil from noon to 1pm at the Duluth Civic Center plaza on Wednesday, March 19. Half way through that vigil we'll have a press conference with local community leaders and activists to commemorate the 5th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, and to invite folks to attend our March 21 action. On Friday, March 21 we'll assemble at 5:30pm at the MN Power Plaza. From there we'll march to the YWCA, where we'll have an indoor rally starting at 6:15. Following the rally we'll have a potluck and silent auction, and then from 8-10pm we'll have a mini-film fest.
We have four slots for the film fest to fill. If you have a film you'd like to show you can contact Andy A. at (218).
We also brainstormed for speakers to invite to our press conference and indoor rally, and worked out details for the potluck and silent auction.
Regular sized color fliers, and black and white half sheet fliers have been made up for the event. Next week we'll also have 11 x 17 black and white fliers. If you'd like fliers to distribute you can call Adam at (715) 394-6660, send him an email at mnsocialist@yahoo.com or drop by and pick some up from his porch at 1506 N. 19th St. in Superior.
5. VOICES FROM IRAQ: Peter discussed an idea of his to hold a forum with local speakers who are from Iraq, or have been to Iraq. We'll discuss this further at a future meeting.
6 NEXT MEETING: The next NAWC meeting will be on Sunday, March 9 at 2pm at the Chester Creek Cafe. David M. will be the facilitator. If you have agenda items that you would like discussed at this meeting, please email them in advance to David at loavesfishesduluth@riseup.net
February 23, 2008
Report on the Feb. 10 NAWC Meeting
NORTHLAND ANTI-WAR COALITION, Feb. 10 Planning Meeting
-Attendance: Peter, Jill, David, Joel, Adam, Suzanne, Zack, Kathy, Andy, Gary
-Meeting Chair: Peter K.
1. INTRODUCTIONS.
2. COMMITTEE REPORTS:
-Financial Committee: The financial committee is looking to send out a fundraising letter before mid-March that would ask for donations, announce the 5th anniversary protests NAWC is going to be holding, and containing information about how to participate in a silent auction that we'll be holding during the 5th anniversary protest. The silent auction will take place during the potluck at Trepanier Hall on March 21. Anyone can donate goods for sale, but will have to pick them up afterwards if they don't sell. More info to come. The committee also wants to send a share of funds to the Iraq Moratorium Project.
-Outreach Committee: The outreach committee reviewed the press work it had done on behalf of the Iraq Veterans Against War teach-ins, and its plans for getting more timely announcements in the local alternative and neighborhood papers.
-Vision Committee: nothing to report.
-Process Committee: nothing to report.
3. IRAQ VETERAN TEACH-INS: The Iraq Veterans Against War teach-ins will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 13 at noon in RSC 111 at UWS, at 3:30pm in the Center for Just Living at CSS, and at 7pm in Life Science 175 at UMD. We arranged interviews for Daniel Fanning to plug the event on local radio stations, send out press releases to local press and have put up a ton of flier [regular sized and oversized].
4. 5TH ANNIVERSARY PROTEST: NAWC will commemorate the 5th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq by holding a one hour peace vigil & press conference at the Duluth Civic Center at noon on Wednesday, March 19. The main event though will be on Friday, March 21. The event will start with a march from the MN Power Plaza at 5:30pm, which will go to the YWCA Trepanier Hall. There, at 6:15pm we'll hold an indoor rally, followed by a potluck, silent auction and mini-film fest that'll last until 10 or 11pm.
5. MELANIE MCPHERSON: Melanie is a Tofte, MN Army Reservist who is refusing to go to Iraq and has served six months in jail for it. She will be speaking on March 25 at 7pm at the UMD Kirby Ballroom. NAWC voted to co-sponsor this event.
6. TRUTH IN RECRUITING PROPOSAL: Joel reported that Truth in Recruiting is looking to put together a spring counter-recruitment campaign, and would like NAWC's participation. Joel will bring back more specific proposals for this at future meetings for NAWC to vote on.
7. COURT REPORT: Back on Sept. 21 during NAWC's Strike for Peace day of action a group of local protesters were arrested for trespassing when they attempted to enter the Federal Building and go up to Congressman Oberstar's office. The court date for those arrested happened this past month. All charges were dropped against the protesters.
8. NEWSLETTER: Kathy reported on a new local progressive newsletter that she and an ad hoc group of other activists are looking to start publishing that will be aimed at the general public and will contain basic facts and commentary about the war and other social issues.
9. SAMMI RASOULI: David reported that Sammie Rasouli from the Muslim Peacemakers Team will be in the area on April 3-4 and will possibly be available for a Duluth event. Peter suggested holding an event with Sammi, Michelle Naar-Obed (who may be back from Iraq by then), and an Iraqi high school exchange student living in the area. This will be discussed more at future meetings.
10. ANNOUNCEMENTS:
-Socialist Action will be holding forums on "Love in the Age of Capitalism" on Sunday, Feb. 10 @ 7pm at UWS RSC 21 and on Sunday, Feb. 24 @ 7pm at Chester Creek Cafe.
-Check out the Buffalo Field Campaign at http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org/ for info on the fight to keep buffalo at Yellowstone from being slaughtered.
-Process Committee:
NEXT MEETING: Sunday, February 24 at 2pm at the Chester Creek Cafe in Duluth. Adam R. will be the meeting chair. Send agenda items to him at mnsocialist@yahoo.com.
-Attendance: Peter, Jill, David, Joel, Adam, Suzanne, Zack, Kathy, Andy, Gary
-Meeting Chair: Peter K.
1. INTRODUCTIONS.
2. COMMITTEE REPORTS:
-Financial Committee: The financial committee is looking to send out a fundraising letter before mid-March that would ask for donations, announce the 5th anniversary protests NAWC is going to be holding, and containing information about how to participate in a silent auction that we'll be holding during the 5th anniversary protest. The silent auction will take place during the potluck at Trepanier Hall on March 21. Anyone can donate goods for sale, but will have to pick them up afterwards if they don't sell. More info to come. The committee also wants to send a share of funds to the Iraq Moratorium Project.
-Outreach Committee: The outreach committee reviewed the press work it had done on behalf of the Iraq Veterans Against War teach-ins, and its plans for getting more timely announcements in the local alternative and neighborhood papers.
-Vision Committee: nothing to report.
-Process Committee: nothing to report.
3. IRAQ VETERAN TEACH-INS: The Iraq Veterans Against War teach-ins will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 13 at noon in RSC 111 at UWS, at 3:30pm in the Center for Just Living at CSS, and at 7pm in Life Science 175 at UMD. We arranged interviews for Daniel Fanning to plug the event on local radio stations, send out press releases to local press and have put up a ton of flier [regular sized and oversized].
4. 5TH ANNIVERSARY PROTEST: NAWC will commemorate the 5th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq by holding a one hour peace vigil & press conference at the Duluth Civic Center at noon on Wednesday, March 19. The main event though will be on Friday, March 21. The event will start with a march from the MN Power Plaza at 5:30pm, which will go to the YWCA Trepanier Hall. There, at 6:15pm we'll hold an indoor rally, followed by a potluck, silent auction and mini-film fest that'll last until 10 or 11pm.
5. MELANIE MCPHERSON: Melanie is a Tofte, MN Army Reservist who is refusing to go to Iraq and has served six months in jail for it. She will be speaking on March 25 at 7pm at the UMD Kirby Ballroom. NAWC voted to co-sponsor this event.
6. TRUTH IN RECRUITING PROPOSAL: Joel reported that Truth in Recruiting is looking to put together a spring counter-recruitment campaign, and would like NAWC's participation. Joel will bring back more specific proposals for this at future meetings for NAWC to vote on.
7. COURT REPORT: Back on Sept. 21 during NAWC's Strike for Peace day of action a group of local protesters were arrested for trespassing when they attempted to enter the Federal Building and go up to Congressman Oberstar's office. The court date for those arrested happened this past month. All charges were dropped against the protesters.
8. NEWSLETTER: Kathy reported on a new local progressive newsletter that she and an ad hoc group of other activists are looking to start publishing that will be aimed at the general public and will contain basic facts and commentary about the war and other social issues.
9. SAMMI RASOULI: David reported that Sammie Rasouli from the Muslim Peacemakers Team will be in the area on April 3-4 and will possibly be available for a Duluth event. Peter suggested holding an event with Sammi, Michelle Naar-Obed (who may be back from Iraq by then), and an Iraqi high school exchange student living in the area. This will be discussed more at future meetings.
10. ANNOUNCEMENTS:
-Socialist Action will be holding forums on "Love in the Age of Capitalism" on Sunday, Feb. 10 @ 7pm at UWS RSC 21 and on Sunday, Feb. 24 @ 7pm at Chester Creek Cafe.
-Check out the Buffalo Field Campaign at http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org/ for info on the fight to keep buffalo at Yellowstone from being slaughtered.
-Process Committee:
NEXT MEETING: Sunday, February 24 at 2pm at the Chester Creek Cafe in Duluth. Adam R. will be the meeting chair. Send agenda items to him at mnsocialist@yahoo.com.
February 14, 2008
Report on the Iraq Veterans Teach-Ins
On Wednesday, February 13, the Northland Anti-War Coalition held three campus/community teach-ins titled "Iraq Veterans Speak Out on the War". I'm happy to report that all three events were very successful.
The first teach-in of the day was at noon at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. 75 people showed up, meaning there was literally standing room only in the meeting room. 61 people attended the 3:30pm teach-in at the College of St. Scholastica. And 66 people attended the 7pm teach-in at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
At each of the teach-ins we had three main speakers, as well as some brief remarks from other veterans and an Iraqi exchange student. The three main speakers were Wes Davey, Brandon Day and Daniel Fanning.
-Daniel Fanning of Superior, WI is a former transportation specialist with the Wisconsin Army National Guard, who was deployed to Iraq December 2004 to December 2005.
-Wes Davey of St Paul, MN retired from a 28-year career in the US Army in 2005, was deployed to Iraq in 2003, and is the co-founder of the Minnesota chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War.
Brandon Day, also of St. Paul, MN, enlisted in the Army after 9/11, served two tours in Iraq, is now an engineering student at the U of M, and is also a co-founder of MN IVAW.
A fair number of veterans were among all three audiences, together with students and community people from all walks of life.
Our teach-ins also generated an impressive amount of press coverage. Leading up to the event we received coverage from the Duluth News Tribune and Labor World newspapers, along with several interviews on local radio stations. On the day of the event there were reporters present from the Superior Daily Telegram, Duluth News Tribune and campus newspapers, along with TV Channels 21 and 10/13.
Our goal with these events was to provide people with direct experiences from soldiers who have served in Iraq, and whose opinions on the war deserve special consideration. We also wanted to use these teach-ins to introduce local Iraq veterans to the new Minnesota chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War. I'd say we were very successful on both scores!
I'd like to conclude with some thanks yous. Thanks to the International Peace Studies Student Association for co-sponsoring the UWS teach-in, the Center for Just Living for co-sponsoring the CSS teach-in, and Students for Peace for co-sponsoring the UMD teach-in. Thanks to the moderators at all three events [Suzanne Griffith, Jay Newcomb and Steve Wick]. Thanks to everyone who helped do the press work and postering for the event [Peter K., Joel K., Carl S., Tegan W., Colette K., Gary S., Daniel F., Steve W., Eric, and quite a few more that I'm sure I'm forgetting]; thanks to all those who helped set up at each event, and clean up. And last, but certainly not least, a special thank you to Colette Knudsen for graciously preparing and bringing refreshments to all three events. You all rock!
The first teach-in of the day was at noon at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. 75 people showed up, meaning there was literally standing room only in the meeting room. 61 people attended the 3:30pm teach-in at the College of St. Scholastica. And 66 people attended the 7pm teach-in at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
At each of the teach-ins we had three main speakers, as well as some brief remarks from other veterans and an Iraqi exchange student. The three main speakers were Wes Davey, Brandon Day and Daniel Fanning.
-Daniel Fanning of Superior, WI is a former transportation specialist with the Wisconsin Army National Guard, who was deployed to Iraq December 2004 to December 2005.
-Wes Davey of St Paul, MN retired from a 28-year career in the US Army in 2005, was deployed to Iraq in 2003, and is the co-founder of the Minnesota chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War.
Brandon Day, also of St. Paul, MN, enlisted in the Army after 9/11, served two tours in Iraq, is now an engineering student at the U of M, and is also a co-founder of MN IVAW.
A fair number of veterans were among all three audiences, together with students and community people from all walks of life.
Our teach-ins also generated an impressive amount of press coverage. Leading up to the event we received coverage from the Duluth News Tribune and Labor World newspapers, along with several interviews on local radio stations. On the day of the event there were reporters present from the Superior Daily Telegram, Duluth News Tribune and campus newspapers, along with TV Channels 21 and 10/13.
Our goal with these events was to provide people with direct experiences from soldiers who have served in Iraq, and whose opinions on the war deserve special consideration. We also wanted to use these teach-ins to introduce local Iraq veterans to the new Minnesota chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War. I'd say we were very successful on both scores!
I'd like to conclude with some thanks yous. Thanks to the International Peace Studies Student Association for co-sponsoring the UWS teach-in, the Center for Just Living for co-sponsoring the CSS teach-in, and Students for Peace for co-sponsoring the UMD teach-in. Thanks to the moderators at all three events [Suzanne Griffith, Jay Newcomb and Steve Wick]. Thanks to everyone who helped do the press work and postering for the event [Peter K., Joel K., Carl S., Tegan W., Colette K., Gary S., Daniel F., Steve W., Eric, and quite a few more that I'm sure I'm forgetting]; thanks to all those who helped set up at each event, and clean up. And last, but certainly not least, a special thank you to Colette Knudsen for graciously preparing and bringing refreshments to all three events. You all rock!
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