Democracy for Vancouver

Received the following email from the Vancouver for Peace group today. I am asking you (everyone reading this) to reach into your hearts (and pocketbooks) and support with your time and money the efforts of Vancouver for Peace. This group has, more than any local group, been working tirelessly for going on four years now to get our elected officials to support ending the illegal and immoral occupation of Iraq. Please help fund their latest ad set to run in Sunday’s Columbian (see below). Please also come out to the all day Peace Camp across the street from the FT. Vancouver Library next Thursday anytime from 11 am until 7 pm to show that you too are helping to end our illegal and immoral occupation of Iraq. We will have music, speakers, pizza, vigils and other surprises. We hope (but unfortunately are not holding our breath) that OUR representatives will also visit Camp Peace and sign onto the Declaration of Peace.

We have become increasingly frustrated with our elected officials in Washington D.C. because of their silence in not speaking out or sponsoring any legislation to end the occupation of Iraq.

Many of us have met repeatedly with staff members but we have never been successful in meeting directly with the Senators or with Representative Baird despite numerous attempts to do so. We have taken petitions and written letters and postcards. Meanwhile, there have been over 20,000 U.S. troops killed or physically injured and more than 100,000 Iraqi deaths.. For what ?

September 21 is an International Day of Peace, designated by the United Nations. It is also the date that peace-makers throughout the nation are calling on Senators and Representatives to sign on to the Declaration of Peace, withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq.

Vancouver for Peace intends to run 1/4 page ad in the Columbian addressed to Senators Murray and Cantwell and to Representative Baird, asking them to sign on to the Declaration of Peace. The ad will run on Sunday, September 17th.

The cost of the ad is $1,100! Can you help defray some of this cost ? Donations in any amount are welcome. If you can help, time is of the essence. Checks can be mailed to: Vancouver for Peace, 4303 NE 14th Ave, Vancouver, WA 98663. Please put “Ad” on the memo line.

Columbian Ad running in Sunday’s Columbian Clark county section:

Murray, Cantwell, Baird:

LISTEN TO US !

We, the people of Vancouver for Peace, from the start, opposed attacking and occupying Iraq, because this horrific “war” was founded on ignorance, lies, and greed. Ill-equipped American soldiers have suffered. Innocent Iraqi men, women, and children have suffered. We’ve worked hard in every reasonable way to make our convictions known to you, but you and Congress have not responded, to end the deaths and destruction.

Now we find ourselves in the majority. Most Americans, most soldiers, most Iraqis, most citizens of the world, want military occupation of Iraq to end, and to end now. Continued military occupation hurts Iraqi people and infrastructure, endangers our troops, drains our economy, further ruins our already damaged reputation, destabilizes the region, and increases terrorism.

Out. Out now, except to rebuild Iraq. We ask that you sign the Declaration of Peace and act on legislation to end the occupation, immediately. Represent us and what we stand for — security and peace, based on Justice. We invite you, our congress-people, to visit Vancouver Peace Camp, Mill Plain at Ft Vancouver Way, September 21, 11am-7pm. Work with us, for Peace. The same wrong road, leads to the same wrong place. We know a different road. Follow it with us.

declarationofpeace.org

Paid For By Vancouver For Peace

Important PS: Mike Ellison, one of the founders of Vancouver for Peace, recently suffered a mild heart attack. Mike was the recipient of a heart transplant around 15 years ago and it seems that the heart was all used up. On Sept 13th, Mike received the miracle of another heart transplant and has been doing well. You may correspond with Mike at the same address as that for Columbian Ad contibutions above. Mike is one of the special people in my llife. I wish him all the best and to get better so he can continue to make the world better.