Subject: Join the Major March and Rally for Peace and Justice, UWEC/Eau Claire, this Thursday October 26! Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 17:08:45 -0500 Message-ID: <BDD0A3EABE40F04A8C7200805EDE5A6A0488D6AE@PEPSI.uwec.edu> From: "Nowlan, Robert A." <RANOWLAN@uwec.edu>
On Thursday October 26, starting at 11:30 am, at the Clock Tower on
the UWEC Campus Mall, the UWEC Progressive Student Association and
Socialist Alliance--UWEC will be co-sponsoring a major march and rally
for peace and justice--
in opposition to the US war in Iraq, demanding the immediate
withdrawal and return of American troops,
and in relation to three upcoming ballot initiatives, this November 7:
in opposition to adding the civil union and marriage ban as an
amendment to the state constitution--and to the permanent denial of
equal access to hundreds of important legal rights for same-sex
Wisconsin couples and unmarried Wisconsin opposite-sex couples,
in opposition to the return of capital punishment to Wisconsin
for the first time in over 150 years,
and in support of an Eau Claire county health care referendum
that calls upon the state to reduce health care costs by 15% and
guarantee universal, affordable health care coverage for all Wisconsin
individuals and families by 2008.
The plan for the day's action is as follows:
brief speeches/performances at the opening of the event,
then a march from campus downtown to Phoenix Park and back to campus,
along a similar pathway to the World Can't Wait march of October 5,
and then further speeches and performances back on campus at the clock
tower.
This event is timed to precede a series of events at the Minnesota state
capitol Saturday October 28 (including a youth march at 12 noon, and a
rally at 1 pm) to protest the War in Iraq and demand the immediate
withdrawal and return of American troops. Socialist Alternative--UWEC
will be organizing a contingent to travel from Eau Claire/UWEC to
participate in these events; join them if you can.
For the march and rally on October 26, PSA and Socialist Alliance
urge as many of you as possible to please come join this effort and to
help make this a major event. 60 people participated on October 5--and
it was quite impressive. We believe we should be able easily to double,
it not in fact triple or quadruple that number. (After all, 154 people
are currently subscribers to the Progressive Student Association
listserve.) And we need your help to do so -- to make this happen. So
please come--and as necessary, leave your classes and your work to do
so, and make a statement--and do bring signs, noisemakers, and other
protest gear, including to share.
Musicians are encouraged to come and participate by playing in the
march and at the opening and closing rallies. Also, please, if you
would like to speak, or know someone who you think should or could speak
effectively to the issues we will be addressing who you can get to come
to do so, work with us to make this happen. We want everyone in the
area who is concerned about these issues--the War in Iraq and Peace in
the World, Justice and Equality for Same-Sex Couples and Non-Married
Opposite-Sex Couples, Opposition to the Death Penalty, and Quality,
Affordable Health Care for All--to come and participate on the 26th.
Those who want to speak will be welcome to do so--as long as you keep it
relatively short to allow as many as people as possible who want to to
do so to speak. And, again, musicians, are welcome to perform in
support of--and solidarity with--the causes we will be representing, and
fighting for publicly, at the march and rally.
We also need help publicizing this event on-campus and beyond.
Please do your part to spread the word, widely, and volunteer to help
out with chalking, postering, and media contact if you can.
For more information, please contact:
Dana Thompson, President, UWEC Progressive Student Association:
thompsod@uwec.edu <mailto:thompsod@uwec.edu>
Ryan Milbrath, President, UWEC Socialist Alliance:
milbrarm@uwec.edu <mailto:milbrarm@uwec.edu>
Sara Adams, Vice-President, UWEC Progressive Student Association:
adamssa@uwec.edu <mailto:adamssa@uwec.edu>
David Smuhl, UWEC Progressive Student Association and Socialist
Alliance--UWEC:
smuhlda@uwec.edu
Bob Nowlan, Faculty Advisor, UWEC Progressive Student Association:
ranowlan@uwec.edu <mailto:ranowlan@uwec.edu>
In solidarity,
Bob Nowlan