Chicago-to-St. Paul peace march will pause in Racine

The Witness Against War 2008 peace march will stop for two days in Racine. Organized by Voices for Creative Nonviolence (VCNV), the march will begin in Chicago on July 12 and conclude in St. Paul, MN, on Aug. 31 in time for the start of the Republican Convention. Marchers will arrive in Racine on Thursday, July 17, participate in various activities on Friday, and leave for Milwaukee on Saturday.

Marchers will be the guests of the Racine Coalition for Peace and Justice and of the local community. All are invited to participate in at least a portion of the march.

The agenda for Racine is:

Thursday July 17

4 p.m. Welcome walkers at John Bryant Community Center, 601 21st Street

4:30 p.m. Begin walk to Belle City Senior Center, Goold & Main

6 p.m. Meet host families at Belle City Senior Center, 201 Goold

Friday, July 18

10:30 a.m. Presentation by members of VCNV at Sam Johnson Parkway (in case of
rain, Olympia Brown Unitarian Universalist Church annex, 7th & College)

11 a.m. Rally at Congressman Paul Ryan’s office, 216 6th Street

11:30 a.m. Sack lunch downtown Racine on Monument Square

2:30 p.m. Meet with walkers at Wilson Coffee and Tea, 3306 Washington Ave.

5:30 p.m. Potluck picnic supper at Siena Center. Please bring a dish to pass. (Indoors
in case of inclement weather.)

7 p.m. Presentation by Kathy Kelly and walkers from VCNV at Siena Center, 5635 Erie Street, Racine

9 p.m. Bonfire at Siena Center

Saturday, July 19

9 a.m. Blessing of people, at Siena Center, as they continue the walk to St. Paul, MN

Witness Against War 2008 is organized as a bipartisan campaign of active nonviolence to challenge and to nonviolently resist our country’s continuing war in and occupation of Iraq. Witness Against War calls for:

An end to all economic and military warfare against Iraq.

The complete and immediate withdrawal of all U.S. military forces from Iraq.

The complete end to all U.S. military action against Iraq, whether that action be from air, ground, or sea.

An end to any further funding for U.S. military action in or against Iraq.

Full funding for the highest quality health care, housing and education for U.S. veterans and their families; the end of stop-loss orders in the military; and the end of stop-move orders.

Provision of full funding by the U.S. for the reconstruction of Iraq following the damage caused by these past 18 years of economic and military warfare waged by the U.S. upon Iraq.

The unconditional cancellation of the remaining odious debt incurred by Saddam Husseins’s regime and the reparation imposed by the U.N. against Iraq following the Hussein regime’s 1990-91 invasion and occupation of Kuwait.

Redirection of the U.S. financial resources away from waging war and towards providing for the Common Good in the U.S.--universal health care; free public education at all levels; affordable housing; etc.

Voices for Creative Nonviolence has long-standing roots in active nonviolent resistance to U.S. war-making. Begun in the summer of 2005, Voices draws upon the experiences of those who challenged the economic sanctions imposed by the U.S. and U.N. against the Iraqi people between 1990 and 2003.

The Racine Coalition for Peace and Justice is an initiative to promote citizen understanding, raise public awareness, and encourage participation in the democratic process for the purpose of achieving peace and just relations among peoples and nations and protecting civil liberties.

For further information:

Voices For Creative Nonviolence: Call Dan Pearson: 773 878-3815 or e-mail.

Information: Ann Pratt: 262.633.0751 (h), 773 405 9154 (c) or e-mail.

To volunteer: Sr Alice Rademacher: 262/639-4100 or e-mail.