Bells Toll in Opposition to the War in Iraq

Chicago, Illinois - On April 5, four anti-war activists were arrested at Senator Richard Durbin’s office in Chicago for their opposition to the war. The Senate Appropriations Committee is to consider a spending bill on April 6 to provide nearly $80 billion more to fund the war in Iraq. They sought a pledge from Senator Durbin to vote against the bill.

UIC College of Nursing Vigil for Peace
and Witness Against War-December 10, 2004

Contact: Gerry Gorman, R.N. , Ph.D.
December 8, 2004
312-413-9013
Cell: 847-845-4597

Chicago-University of Illinois at Chicago nurses and health care professionals have invited Chicagoans to join them in a “Vigil for Peace, Witness Against War” in front of the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center at 820 South Damen Avenue from 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. on December 10, 2004. Their invitation states: “If you believe war is a public health emergency, that soldiers and veterans need our support and that peaceful protest is essential, please join the vigil.” Planners announced their intent to hold regular Friday evening vigils, holding candles and banners in front of medical centers, and to encourage health care professionals throughout the Chicagoland area to develop similar public action.

In an op-ed entitled “A nurse wonders: What if we united to oppose war?” published on Sunday, November 7, 2004, in the Chicago Tribune, UIC Nursing School professor Dr. Gerry Gorman pondered her own son’s future and imagined what would happen if all members of her highly trained profession pushed together for peace. After receiving numerous responses to the essay, she and several colleagues decided to welcome sympathizers to a peaceful protest against U.S. warmaking. “We are mandated to teach our students a primer on ‘bio-preparedness,’” Gorman wrote. “But, we shy away from the disastrous health consequences of depleted uranium and assault weapons…What if we said we will not practice our healing art so that our children can be bandaged and sent back to battle to be killed or to kill the children of other mothers on the other side of the world.”

For more information, call the contact numbers listed above.

Oklahoma City Contacts:
Nathaniel Batchelder, The Peace House: 405-524-5577
Susan Lee, organizer/activist: ……. © 405-245-1778

“Voices In The Wilderness” Contacts In Lawton:
Kathy Kelly: ……… © 773-619-2418
Steve Kelly: ……… © 877-685-5573

Americans who have served in Iraq as peace witnesses are in Lawton this week to honor and celebrate what they call a courageous stance by Iraq War veteran Camilo Mejia. Mejia served in Iraq with his National Guard Army unit, but, when called to return for a second tour, he refused. Mejia explained that he had seen and even participated in prisoner abuse in Iraq, and had seen civilians killed by mistake. Because of this, Mejia has applied for “Conscientious Objector” status while serving a one-year sentence at Fort Sill’s incarceration unit for refusing to obey orders.

Camilo Mejia’s supporters in Lawton this week have all been to Iraq numerous times with their organization: “Voices in the Wilderness.” Founder of the group Kathy Kelly was in Baghdad when the bombing began and has participated in more than 20 peace delegations. “Americans in the military risk their lives, so why shouldn’t activists for peace?,” Kelly asked, explaining the group’s motivation.

Contact:
Angela Garcia (773) 784-8065
John Farrell (773) 619-2418 (on site)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
US Treasury Department Prosecutes Americans For Bringing Medicines to Iraq

(Chicago, Illinois) Voices in the Wilderness (ViTW) will appear in the US District Court Building in Washington, D.C. on Friday, June 4, 2004 at 9:30 a.m. facing charges in excess of $20,000.00 in civil fines being imposed by the US Department of Treasury for “exporting medicines to Iraq.”

ViTW delegates from across the country will be present at the US District Court Building (333 Constitution Avenue N.W., Washington, D.C.) and will hold a press conference immediately following the ruling in the case. Voices delegates will also be available for interviews between 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. in Lafayette Park (Pennsylvania Avenue at 16th Street, NW).

“The US government has no business punishing people for bringing medicine to Iraq, while its sanctions and occupation cause the daily deaths of Americans and Iraqis and continue to create a desperate need for medicine and basic goods for many Iraqis,” stated Bill Quigley, ViTW lawyer and professor of law at Loyola University, New Orleans, LA. Mr. Quigley traveled to Iraq with a ViTW delegation months prior to the latest US led invasion.

ViTW has campaigned to end economic and military warfare against the Iraqi people since 1996. They have organized over seventy delegations to Iraq in deliberate violation of UN economic sanctions and US law. “There is another America, which is not reflected by the images of torture and destruction that have come to symbolize the US presence in Iraq, which was shown in some small way by our efforts and those of others working against economic sanctions,” stated Kathy Kelly, co-founder of ViTW and three time Nobel Peace prize nominee.

ViTW is counter-suing the U.S. Government for reparations for the Iraqi people due to the catastrophic effects of 14 years of US led economic sanctions. ViTW recognizes that an unjust law is no law at all, and will nonviolently resist all payments, fines, taxes, and laws that perpetuate war and restrict our rights and responsibilities as world citizens. The US Treasury Department has attempted collection in the past, and ViTW has responded each time by refusing payment and raising and delivering thousands of dollars worth of humanitarian aid to hospitals and schools throughout Iraq.

For documents regarding the case, please see http://vitw.org/summons/

For interviews with our legal team or recently returned delegates, 773.784.8065 / info@vitw.org

Contact: Tom Walsh: 773-784-8065
For Immediate Release

On Wednesday, October 8th nine human rights activists will stand trial for criminal trespass and resisting arrest after they were detained at Boeing Corporation’s World Headquarters in downtown Chicago on March 13, 2003. The defendants were protesting the imminent loss of human lives, only days before the “Shock and Awe” campaign was commenced by the United States military against Iraq.