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WHY WE’RE MARCHING

Statement from co-organizer, Jeff Nall: “The consequences of going to war with Iran would be horrifying. Gas prices will skyrocket, many more American soldiers will die, and tens-of-thousands of women and children will be destroyed beneath our bombs. Our government’s own data, reported in the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), reported that Iran does not have a nuclear bomb and is not an imminent threat to the United States. And multiple military leaders object to the idea of starting war or sanctions on Iran. Killing hundreds of thousands of people in this manner is simply immoral.

On August 30th voices against war will deafeningly declare an end to kind requests against war. We cannot wait for the November election results. WE must LEAD the way so that politicians can feel safe pursuing progressive agendas. Politicians can only be as pro-peace or anti-war as the public allows them to be. It is OUR task to popularize peace, to popularize REVOLT AGAINST WAR as a viable foreign policy perspective. It is OUR task to inject questions of VALUES or MORALS into the Iran debate. OUR task is to remind all involved that we are talking about murdering thousands of people…. We are responsible. This is OUR nation, OUR tax dollars, OUR military. The time for a full-scale peace revolution against war is now!

THE FACTS:

• SECRET WAR AGAINST IRAN: “Preparing the Battlefield: The Bush Administration steps up
  its secret moves against Iran” (by Seymour M. Hersh, July 7, New Yorker)
• Democracy NOW’s Amy Goodman interview Hersh (June 30, 2008)
• FACTS: Lies, Lies, Lies - Bush, Iraq & Iran
• PETITION: No War on Iran
• 5 MINUTE VIDEO: What motivated the 9/11 hijackers? See testimony most didn't.
  
• article: “The Bipartisan Road to War in Iran and The Activist Response”

MEDIA COVERAGE:

• “Floridians protest Iran war buildup” PRESS TV, Iran (9/1)
• SECRET WAR AGAINST IRAN: “Preparing the Battlefield: The Bush Administration steps up
  its secret moves against Iran” (by Seymour M. Hersh, July 7, New Yorker)
• Democracy NOW’s Amy Goodman interview Hersh (June 30, 2008)
• FACTS: Lies, Lies, Lies - Bush, Iraq & Iran
• PETITION: No War on Iran
• 5 MINUTE VIDEO: What motivated the 9/11 hijackers? See testimony most didn't.
  
• article: “The Bipartisan Road to War in Iran and The Activist Response”

SCHEDULE OF SPEAKERS

• Dr. Steve Blythe – Democratic candidate for Congress (Florida, district 15)
• Michael Canney – former co-chair of the Green Party of Florida and currently co-chair of the Alachua County Green Party co-chair
• Brian Moore – Socialist Party USA candidate for president
• Benny S & Da Tribe – area R&B and Hip-hop artists to perform new single, “No More”
• Vicki Impoco – Patriots for Peace organizer, Brevard NOW Peace Chair, American Friends Service Committee Florida State Coordinator, “Eyes Wide Open” exhibit
• Michael Egerton – actively involved in the anti-war movement and the 911 Truth movement in Brevard county
• Gilda Klausner – Published and Prize winning poet, playwright and long time activist. Born and raised in Brooklyn NY and presently living in Merritt Island, Gilda will read her anti-war poem "Mother Next Door"
• Shanti Johnson – Founder and Coordinator Brevard County Buddhist Fellowship
• Valarie-Anne Schiess – to read her poem “Peace, Please”
• Michele Paccione – non-partisan for Palm Bay City Council, Seat 3
• Jim Sanders – representing Broward Anti-War Coalition
• Chris Ernesto – representing St Pete for Peace
• Jeff Nall – march co-organizer, author, and PhD student at Florida Atlantic University

COMPLETE LIST OF ENDORSERS

1) CODEPINK Florida
2) The Green Party of Florida
3) Humanists for Peace
4) Brevard NOW
5) Peace Now Citrus County
6) Palm Beach County Green Party
7) Marions for Peace
8) People for Peace and Justice/St. Augustine
9) Social Concerns Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Key West
10) Humanists of Greater Fort Walton Beach
11) Central Florida Veterans For Peace
12) CODEPINK of East Central Florida
13) St Pete for Peace
14) Military Families Speak Out (Florida Chapter)
15) Tallahassee Network for Justice and Peace
16) Veterans for Peace-Chapter 15
17) SoFlo Raging Grannies
18) Vietnam Veterans Against the War--Tallahassee Chapter
19) the Broward AntiWar Coalition
20) Unitarian Universalist Church of Brevard
21) Arlington South (erects crosses on the beach with names, ages of US soldiers killed in Iraq).
22) Ad Hoc committee to Honor Fallen Soldiers and Gold Star Families (Indian River County)
23) Progressive Democratic Coalition of Indian River
24) CODEPINK South Florida
25) Miami for Peace
26) Brevard Amnesty International
27) Environmental and Peace Education Center of Southwest Florida (Fort Myers)
28) Humanists of Brevard
29) Veterans for Peace - Tampa Bay
30) Socialist Party of Florida
31) Dr. Steve Blythe, candidate for congressional Democrat (Florida, district 15)
32) StopWaronIran.org
33) Orlando Coalition for Peace and Justice (Oct. 27 Coordinating Committee)
34) Humanists at Barefoot Bay
35) Brevard County Buddhist Fellowship

ACTIVIST AND GROUP CALL TO ACTION
Florida's First Mass Anti-War March to Prevent War with Iran

Brevard Patriots for Peace
2pm, Saturday, August 30
March from Front Street Park (2205 S. Front Street, Melbourne, FL 32935)
to Melbourne City Hall City Hall (900 E. Strawbridge Ave., Melbourne, FL 32901)

For more info: email Jeff at sabletide@yahoo.com, or go to www.JeffNall.com/blog
Let's Duplicate the Success of Turning Out 500 People as We Did in February 2003!

Please pledge to attend this event. Email us at sabletide@yahoo.com to let us know you’re coming. And go to www.JeffNall.com/blog for up-to-the-date information on the build-up for war with Iran.
We are also looking for 1) people who will help us distribute flyers, 2) post bulletins around MySpace and other relevant websites, 3) assist in organizing, and/or 4) donations of any dollar amount to spread the word.

PRESS RELEASE: AUGUST 27, 2008
35 Organizations across State Endorse Florida’s First Mass March to Stop War on Iran;
People from 9 Cities across State Plan to Participate in Saturday, August 30th Event
Organizers promise “electrifying experience”

MELBOURNE – On Saturday, August 30th the streets will be alive with dissent and demands for peace as citizens from at least 8 cities join locals in Florida’s First Mass March to Stop War on Iran. On August 30, Brevard Patriots for Peace will lead a nonpartisan march at 2pm from Front Street Park in Melbourne, to Melbourne City Hall to demand Democrats and Republicans halt build-up for war against Iran at 2pm.

Organizers anticipate hundreds to participate as citizens plan to caravan to the event from Miami, Broward, Palm Beach, Ft Myers, Orlando, Tampa, Ocala, Indian River County, and St. Augustine. The event has been endorsed by 35 Florida groups including CodePink Florida, Central Florida Veterans For Peace, and dozens of church, veteran, and peace groups around the state.

According to co-organizer Jeff Nall the consequences of going to war with Iran would be horrifying. “Gas prices will skyrocket, many more American soldiers will die, and tens-of-thousands of women and children will be destroyed beneath our bombs,” said Nall. “Our government’s own data, reported in the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), reported that Iran does not have a nuclear bomb and is not an imminent threat to the United States. And multiple military leaders object to the idea of starting war or sanctions on Iran. Killing hundreds of thousands of people in this manner is simply immoral.”

All are encouraged to participate in what is sure to be an electrifying experience as Patriots for Peace continues to make Brevard County the “Peace Capital” of Florida. After marching a slate of speakers and artists will address marchers at Melbourne City Hall. Speakers include:

• Dr. Steve Blythe – Democratic candidate for Congress (Florida, district 15)
• Michael Canney – former co-chair of the Green Party of Florida and currently co-chair of the Alachua County Green Party co-chair
• Brian Moore – Socialist Party USA candidate for president
• Benny S & Da Tribe – area R&B and Hip-hop artists to perform new single, “No More”
• Vicki Impoco – Patriots for Peace organizer, Brevard NOW Peace Chair, American Friends Service Committee Florida State Coordinator, “Eyes Wide Open” exhibit
• Michael Egerton – actively involved in the anti-war movement and the 911 Truth movement in Brevard county
• Gilda Klausner – Published and Prize winning poet, playwright and long time activist. Born and raised in Brooklyn NY and presently living in Merritt Island, Gilda will read her anti-war poem "Mother Next Door"
• Shanti Johnson – Founder and Coordinator Brevard County Buddhist Fellowship
• Valarie-Anne Schiess – to read her poem “Peace, Please”
• Michele Paccione – non-partisan for Palm Bay City Council, Seat 3
• Jim Sanders – representing Broward Anti-War Coalition
• Chris Ernesto – representing St Pete for Peace
• Jeff Nall – author, activist, PhD student at Florida Atlantic University

About H. CON. RES. 362

To date more than 100 House Democrats have joined 117 House Republicans in co-sponsoring House Concurrent Resolution 362 which describes Iran as a threat to international peace, stability in the Middle East, and US National Security.

Introduced on May 22 by New York Democrat Gary Ackerman, the bill calls for an affective blockade against Iran, which, according to international law, is an act of aggression. As of July 5 the bill has 220 co-sponsors. Joining local Republican representative Tom Feeney (R-FL) are nine Democrats, including:

• Rep. Robert Wexler (Dist 19) - the "Fire Breathing Liberal" himself
• Rep. Kendrick Meek (Dist 17)
• Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Dist 20)
• Rep. Rob Klein (Dist 22)
• Rep. Corine Brown (Dist 3)
• Rep. F. Allen Boyd, Jr. (Dist 2)
• Rep. Kathy Castor (Dist 11)
• Tim Mahoney (Dist 16), and
• Rep. Alcee Hastings (Dist 23).

H. Con. Res. 362 specifically calls on President Bush to "initiate an international effort to immediately and dramatically increase the economic, political, and diplomatic pressure on Iran to verifiably suspend its nuclear enrichment activities." The bill urges the President to block refined petroleum exports to Iran and to impose "stringent inspection requirements on all persons, vehicles, ships, planes, trains, and cargo entering or departing Iran; and prohibiting the international movement of all Iranian officials not involved in negotiating the suspension of Iran's nuclear program."

On June 26, Ron Paul called the content of the bill "war propaganda." In a Congressional speech, he said that the bill was a "virtual war resolution."

Retired Military Leaders Call Bill “dangerous”
According to a press release from the Council for A Livable World, three retired military leaders have sent a letter to lawmakers "urging them to abandon" H. Con. Res. 362. Lt. General Robert G. Gard, Jr., U.S. Army (ret.), former Assistant Secretary of Defense Dr. Lawrence J. Korb, and Vice Admiral Jack Shanahan, U.S. Navy (ret.) describe the bill as "poorly conceived, poorly timed, and potentially dangerous."

In the letter, the three men state "a diplomatic solution with Iran is the best course" and that the sanctions demanded in H. Con. Res. 362 would likely "undermine any chance for diplomacy to succeed in achieving a negotiated resolution." While some co-sponsors have argued that the concurrent resolution is nonbinding, the retired military leaders write that it nevertheless "risks sending a message to the Iranians, the Bush Administration, and the world that Congress supports a more belligerent policy toward, and, potentially, belligerent actions against, Iran. In our view, H. Con. Res. 362 in no way furthers our diplomatic efforts or those of our European allies and should be abandoned."

Secret War on Iran
Investigative reporter Seymour Hersh recently reported in The New Yorker that the Bush administration, with the consent of the Democratic leadership, has begun a secret war on Iran.

Hersh’s report shows that H. Con Res. 362 isn’t the only thing linking the Democrats to hawkish policy on Iran. Some leading Democrats have also endorsed Bush’s Presidential Finding which requests $400 million for "a major escalation of covert operations against Iran, according to current and former military, intelligence, and congressional sources."

The National Intelligence Estimate on Iran—the Intelligence Community’s most authoritative written judgments on national security issues-- stated a "high confidence that in fall 2003, Tehran halted its nuclear weapons program." It also stated "with high confidence" that Iran would not even be "technically capable of producing and reprocessing enough plutonium for a weapon before about 2015."

The report concluded that Iran is more a rational actor than one hell-bent on destroying the world, as it has been portrayed. "Tehran’s decision to halt its nuclear weapons program suggests it is less determined to develop nuclear weapons than we have been judging since 2005. Our assessment that the program probably was halted primarily in response to international pressure suggests Iran may be more vulnerable to influence on the issue than we judged previously."

H. Con. Res. 362 specifically calls on President Bush to "initiate an international effort to immediately and dramatically increase the economic, political, and diplomatic pressure on Iran to verifiably suspend its nuclear enrichment activities." The bill urges the President to block refined petroleum exports to Iran and to impose "stringent inspection requirements on all persons, vehicles, ships, planes, trains, and cargo entering or departing Iran; and prohibiting the international movement of all Iranian officials not involved in negotiating the suspension of Iran's nuclear program."

Patriots for Peace urges you to call as many of the Florida Democrats supporting this bill as possible. They are suceptible to pressure, and we have had a very good response so far.

Call Democratic Co-Sponsors of HR 362 and S. Res 580 --
Demand they Renounce them & Set Out to Ensure Bush Doesn’t Strike Again