Democracy Has Prevailed.

October 25, 2005

Vigils for 2000 Killed in Iraq

Vigils are planned acress the country for the 2,000th death of a US soldier in Iraq by various groups. This morning it was reported that 1,999 have been killed.

MoveOn:
Flagstaff Hill, Oakland, across from Phipps Conservatory

Schenley Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Date and Time To Be Announced

Bring a candle, your family and friends, and a sign if you wish. The site is a large hill, possibly difficult to maneuver with a wheelchair, but with sidewalk right in front of it. The goal is a silent, respectful recognition of the loss of 2000 American - and countless Iraqi - lives without adequate justification, without a plan, without regard for their value or the pain of those they leave behind. We will take a stand against the carnage for ourselves and countless other Americans, as more and more of us wake up to the truth: the Bush administration used manipulation and lies to get us into this war and send these people to their death, and it's up to us to say NO MORE.

To sign up for this event, click here:
http://political.moveon.org/event/iraqvigils/5845

Not in Pittsburgh? Find a MoveOn event in your area here: http://political.moveon.org/event/events/index.html?action_id=29


American Friends Service Committee:
On the day after the 2,000th reported U.S. military death in Iraq, people will gather in communities across the U.S. to say that the country’s pro-peace majority wants Congress to stop the deaths by stopping the dollars that are funding the war.

Pittsburgh, PA - Friends Meeting House
Organizer: Scilla Wahrhaftig

This will be a women\'s silent, candlelit, vigil and march for peace. We are asking all to come dressed in black to show our mourning at the deaths. Men are welcome. This event is sponsored by AFSC, Women\'s International League for Peace and Freedom and Code Pink.

R.S.V.P. here.

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Pittsburgh, PA - Carnegie Museum "Dinosaur"
Organizer: David Meieran

Pittsburgh Organizing Group (POG) is asking that people join us for an emergency counter-recruitment rally and march starting at 7PM at Carnegie Museum Dinosaur in Oakland. Bring candles, flashlights, drums and whatever else you feel will help express your outrage over the tremendous loss of life in this pointless and costly war and the lies that sustain it.

ALSO NOTE: Before coming to the POG rally, consider attending a women\'s march through Oakland that Pittsburgh chapters of the American Friends Service Committee, the Women’s League For Peace and Freedom and Code Pink are organizing. Their silent candlelight march starts at 5:30 PM, at the Friends Meeting House, 4836 Ellsworth Ave. Wear black.

Both events will take place on the day after the 2,000th U.S. death in Iraq is reported.
The Carnegie Museum Dinosaur is located across from the University of Pittsburgh\'s Cathedral of Learning at Forbes Avenue and Schenley Drive.

R.S.V.P. here.

Not in Pittsburgh? Find a Friends events in your area here:
http://www.afsc.org/2000/

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

You don't give a damn about the troops, so spare us the weasel words about "respectful." If you truly wanted to reach out to the military victims, you would stroll down to Oakland VA and spend some time with the recovering wounded.

The psych ward isn't that far from Phipps. They like to play bingo on Thursday nights. Bring some cookies and phone cards. They don't care about your politics, although I'm sure you care about theirs.

This is a stunt. It's a cynical "ceremony" to honor men you never knew or understood. You have no concern for the real dreams of the Iraqis (in all their many manifestations) nor a real notion of the American dead other than a number.

It's a cheap publicity stunt, just as offensive as W's flight suit escapade.

Because you feel no shame doing it, I have nothing but pity for you. I will mourn these men, including some of my friends, withot the benefit of speeches, slogans and signs.

You can start working the next day on changing the foreign policy of the U.S., without so cavalierly using these good warriors as convenient props for your message.

Maria said...

"You don't give a damn about the troops."

Spare me your psychic insights. If I didn't give a damn about the troops I wouldn't care why they were sent there or how long they stayed.

And, I do not have to be told by you to donate phone cards. I've taken up collections for phone cards and sent them to Democracy for America who matches the amount collected dollar for dollar. I don't give a rat's ass that my name is not on these cards, I just wanted to get the most cards that I could get in the hands of the most people who needed them.

"You have no concern for the real dreams of the Iraqis (in all their many manifestations)..."

Gee, Skippy, I know the majority of Iraqis say they want us out.

I know that many Iraqi women think that the new constitution sells them down the river.

I know the tens of thousands we killed can't say anything.

Marches and protests with "speeches, slogans and signs" is a legitimate way to try change foreign policy by getting the public's attention and not letting them forget that there is a war and that our soldiers are wounded and dying in that war.

And, if you want to talk about being cavalier with people's lives, then talk about this administration knowingly using fake 'evidence' to propel us into the war which they had planned for long before 9/11. And, then cavalierly outing a CIA agent (and the front company she was working for) that was actually working on WMD's.

Anonymous said...

Sure let's run and hide! Let's show them we can't finish anything we start! I don't know where you get your damn "FACTS" but I've been in Iraq and have spoken to the Iraqi people. Yes, they want us to leave EVENTUALLY! BUT, they don't want us to leave until they are stable. However grimly unfortunate for any of my comrades or myself to pay the ultimate price, it is nothing compared to past conflicts. At the current rate it would take us 50 years to reach the KIA totals of WW2. And we lost nearly 10 thousand soldiers fighting the "Wolf Brigades" (insurgents) in Germany after WW 2. We fought them untill the 50's. Those of us who have freedom have no comprehension of it's value. Talk to an Iraqi man, ask him how he feels about us giving them freedom. Sure some Iraqi's disagree about us being there, but look at half the crap we disagree with each other in our own country. I have seen the looks of hope in Iraqi faces, I have even seen them sorrow at our own losses. I know they crave freedom and a future free from tyranny. And I for one, will not let us going there be for nothing. The blood of my brothers lies in the very ground of Iraq. And if we pulled out like the chickenshit's the left wants us to be then I will go back as a contracter and fight for my fellow soldiers sacrifice. You sound like you only get your news from byast sources. Check your facts before your write. You want to know some actual good news from Iraq. Go to http://www.mnf-iraq.com/Publications/TWII/Current.pdf or to www.centcom.mil and here from my fellow soldiers who are not just machines but people who have moral pretext and eyes on the actual issues. Stop listening to politicians of either side.