TAKE ACTION NOW - Help Stop The War!

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JOIN US FRIDAY FEBRUARY 23RD

We will be demonstrating outside Congressman Henry Waxman’s home office on February 22nd and 23rd To Demand that He De-Fund the Iraq War and Bring Our Troops Home NOW.

Support the Troops. De-fund the War.

$1.1 billion dollars in tax revenue from the 30th district has already gone to pay for this war. How much more are we going to spend on George Bush’s War?

We invite you to join us outside Waxman’s office

8436 West Third Street (at La Cienega)

Thurs. 2/22 at 11:30 am & Fri. 2/23 3:00 pm -- Watch this space for updates.

We are members of MoveOn.org, Gold Star Families for Peace, Progressive Democrats of America, Camp Casey Alumni and just regular citizens like YOU. Spread the word!

Waxman "moves in the direction" of defunding the war

video below shows leslie b delivering hundreds of letters from MoveOn.org participants asking Congressman Waxman to sign on to various legislation that would end the war and, most importantly, use the power of the purse that congress has to defund the war.
the sound isn't great since there was lots of activity in the office, but you can clearly hear the congressman's staffer say that Waxman is "moving" toward defunding.

WWII Veteran WAVE Speaks Out Against Iraq War

Iraqi American Speaks about Iraq War

Joseph voted in two of Iraq's elections. He joined us to ask our Congressman, Henry Waxman, to do everything he can to end this war.

A Powerful Letter from Veteran, activist, actor and writer April Fitzsimmons

Dear Citizens of America: As a veteran I strongly oppose any more involvement in Iraq's Civil War. I believe America should master diplomacy, negotiation, education, health care issues, civil rights, human rights, poverty, racial injustice and a mounting environmental crisis. Then, and only then might we have the right to "aid" another country in developing a democracy, if they invite us to do so. How did you learn tolerance? Was it with a man standing at your door in fatigues holding a rifle? How did your learn love? Was it by invading anothers home and ransacking their belongings? How did you learn democracy? Was it by a decree and a vote? No. It was by practice and example time and time again. Go to New Orleans. Examine the evidence of the dire need for America to turn to itself and heal what we have not healed. To repair what we have not repaired. To look at what we have been ignoring. We've killed over 300,000 Iraqi's, for what? We've killed over 3000 American soldiers and Marines, for what? For a better America? I think not. Imagine if the Saudi's had arrived at Bull's Run in Virginia in 1862 in the midst of America's Civil War. What could the Saudi's have told us about how to make peace between the north and the south? This is not our war to fight. We must lay down our guns and walk away. We must return to our senses. We must return to our home. This is not cut and run. This is not cowardice. This is the responsible action one takes when they realize they have made a grave error. If a man is molesting his daughter and suddenly comes to his senses and realizes the horror of his mistake, if he withdraws from the situation does this make him a coward? Do we say that he is cutting and running? No. We say that he took appropriate action based on the circumstances. Now if we are the neighbor who observes the molestation and we say nothing, are we innocent? Are we morally right? No. If we continue to fund this war with our silent agreement, with supplies and with good and able bodies, we are the neighbor who knows of the crime and does nothing. I am not equating the soldiers to molesters. It is those in power who are abusing and manufacturing intelligence to mislead the soldiers into believing that their mission is right and just. The Commander in Chief is responsible for the troops and he is responsible for the decisions he has made on his watch. To admit he was wrong at this stage would invalidate the 500,000 troops who have served in Iraq. That may be too much for one man to bear which is why Soldiers, Marines and Citizens alike must take charge of this situation and declare a withdrawal of all troops in Iraq. I beseech the American people, our congress and the senate to think with the most evolved part of their being and bring this crisis in Iraq and Afghanistan to an immediate end. Sincerely yours. April Fitzsimmons USAF Intelligence Analyst (1985-1989) www.madashellclub.net www.aprilfitzsimmons.com Contact your Representative at: www.congress.org ; - The system only works if you speak up! "This is what we did. How did it happen? How could we?" - Dorothea Lange

Promises to Keep

The action went extremely well this morning. I'm working on getting some video and the few pix I took loaded into the computer so I can upload them here.... Who knows how long this might take? Sorry, but I am on it...

Meanwhile, please take time to read this moving Op-ed by John Cory at TruthOut.org: Promises to Keep. I had the honor of making a sign this morning for Bailey, a Viet Nam Vet. He told me he was spitting mad about the news (not) coming out of Walter Reed Med Center. I made him a sign that said "Who Will Answer For Walter Reed?"

If you couldn't join us today, you have another opportunity tomorrow. We'll be there at 3pm. Please, come hold a sign, pass out a flyer, be a part of the body count. We heard from Waxman's staff that he is moving toward defunding. We have to let him know that we will have his back if he does it. No one can accuse him or us of not supporting the troops if we defund this war. Defunding is the only way we can bring them home now, alive, and take care of them when they are here.

DeFunding is the ONLY WAY TO SUPPORT THE TROOPS

yet another argument for defunding by Charles Krauthammer: NO WAY TO END A WAR

i vascillate about krauthammer, but i agree it will take courage to do the right thing to end this war.

in this age of (unconstitutuional, unpatriotic, unethical) signing statements these newly proposed pieces of legislation amount to just so much more non-binding resolutions.

the only way to support the troops and end this war is to use the constitutional power of the purse and defund the mofo!

$100 Billion in Emergency Funding? Don't vote for it before you vote against it.

Will Congress put limits on Iraq funding?

... faced with a straight up-or-down vote on a $100 billion with no conditions
attached, will the Democratic-led Congress continue to pay for a war which the
majority of Democrats oppose?

A vote by Congress to OK the $100 billion would likely add momentum to a
Democratic presidential contender who unabashedly says “Cut off the funds; end
the war.”

Israeli Think Tank Says Iraq War a Disaster for Israel

Tel Aviv University's Jaffee Center, one of Israel's premier think tanks, says the American failure in Iraq has harmed Israeli security. It argues that the United States should withdraw from Iraq in the near term rather than add more troops stating that a continued American presence in Iraq does not serve any Israeli interests. Read the Salon article here

The Ground Truth

Watching the Ground Truth got me very fired up last night. One Vietnam Vet said to me afterwards that what upsets him the most is that we are doing to another generation what was done to his generation.

To hear these kids, and yes, so many of them are kids, talk about trying to find some kind of redemption for what they have done, the death and destruction they have caused, will break your heart. They are haunted by the civilians they have killed, the men, women and children caught in the middle of a military action that has been missionless, and the loss of their belief in their own decency. This is what this war has wrought. Sadly, the ones who should be seeking redemption are living and working at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and not thinking about the hollowed out men and women that are coming home.

According to recent statistics:

1 in 3 homeless Americans are veterans
1 in 4 veterans suffer from post traumatic stress disorder with waiting periods of 2-3 months for treatment
There is one VA doctor to every 500 patients
20- 24 year old veterans have twice the unemployment rate of the general population
95% of the National Guard have difficulty receiving pay
Over 200 Iraq war vets have committed suicide
Returning vets have a 70% divorce rate
The current administration has planned for a $65 billion decrease in veterans benefits over the next 5 years

Support our troops, de-fund the war!

House Rebukes Bush!

Good for the House of Representatives, and our own Congressman Waxman, for rebuking George Bush on this ridiculous escalation. The resolution may be non-binding, but the message is loud and clear. Next step? Cut off the funding! Even a Fox News Poll (Fox News!) finds that 54% of voters support the idea of de-funding (and if the rest understood that it doesn't mean stranding the troops, they would probably join right in!) See the poll results here.

the poster design is in for our demonstrations on the 22nd and 23rd:

thank you to artist Richard Wilks at Studio Wilks

Families of Active Duty Military call for De-Funding

Military Families Speak Out faxed a letter to 535 Senators and Members of Congress today saying: Support our Troops and De-Fund the War! The letter was signed by over 200 MFSO members with loved ones currently serving in Iraq or about to deploy/re-deploy. The letters can be found here . This is a powerful argument, along with the recent petition for redress signed by over 1000 active duty military and Iraq war vets, against the specious claim that de-funding the war is the equivalent of not supporting the troops.

Update on Action at Rep Schiff's Office on 2/12

On 2/12, Occupation Project LA targeted Rep Schiff's office in Pasadena. Schiff is on the appropriations committee which has an important role to play in the funding issue. Apparently the staff was prepared for the protest with cookies and bottled water for the demonstrators! Rep. Schiff asked that the police stay away and the staff invited the folks sitting-in to spend the night at the office! Schiff also faxed them a letter saying "Dear Friends, Thank you for taking the time to come by my office to demonstrate your concern over the war in Iraq.” From what I have been told, Schiff continues in the letter, saying he is against the escalation and is willing to use the power of the purse to change direction, a very positive sign. From what I hear, yesterday was a pretty positive experience, if surprising. Read the article in the Pasadena Star News - here and watch the video - here. Yesterday, the group moved to the 26th district, Rep. Drier. I hear that was more animated and am awaiting further update. Stay tuned...

Why an Action at Waxman's Office?

A few people have asked why we are planning an action at Congressman Waxman's office. After all, he is a good, consistent liberal and a hero right now with his committee's investigations of the Iraq war profiteering and his efforts to shine a light on the mishandling of the rebuilding efforts (who can get that image out of their heads of cargo planes full of cash being transported to Iraq or Paul Bremmer handing it out by the millions in brown paper bags?) We should be thanking him for that. And we do. Thank you Congressman Waxman for the long over due investigations. Thank goodness you are at the helm of the very important Oversight Committee. You are the only member of Congress that has the right to issue subpoenas and we are grateful that such a serious responsibility is in your hands. And because we have trusted you all these years Congressman, to represent us, your very liberal constituents, we want you to know how strongly we feel about this war and how completely opposed to it we are. You see, Congressman Waxman seems to still need a push to cast his votes to be in line with his verbal opposition to the war. He has publicly said that he is against the occupation and the escalation, but also that he is not for redeployment of the troops or defunding the war. Right now, this is still George Bush's War, and sadly, it is being waged in all of our names. But if this Congress votes to keep funding it, then it becomes their war, too. Henry Waxman's war, Adam Schiff's war, Howard Berman's war, Jane Harman's war. We hope that a bold 2-day action will help him understand where his constituents stand on the issue of the war - we want our troops out of Iraq and we want to stop funding George Bush's War! Join us to help Henry Waxman hear us and represent us!

Four Myths of Withdrawal

MoveCongress.org has some wonderful talking points on their website. They are advocating for just the action that we are planning - this is the time to let congress know what we expect them to do.

Check out "Victory Is Not an Option" by General William Odom
Washington Post - February 11, 2007

Support the Troops – De-fund the War

In February or March, an appropriations bill will come before Congress seeking approximately $130 billion dollars to continue the war in Iraq

Congressman Waxman can hold hearings, debate and even pass legislation on the war, but none of these will bring the war to an end. Congress’ real power lies in their control over funding for the war and their ability to cut off funds except for those that are needed to bring our troops home quickly and safely.

Unless Congressman Waxman acts, the war will continue. The Bush administration has made it clear that they have no intention to end the war and bring our troops home.

Congressman Waxman must vote against any further appropriation that will continue the war in Iraq

De-Funding the War Does NOT Mean De-Funding the Troops

In September 2006 Congress approved $70 billion for the Iraq War. This is enough to bring the troops home quickly and safely. And if we send more money to Iraq again, how can we trust this administration will spend it on the troops anyway?

But, Congressman Waxman is a great democratic congressman...

For 28 years Democrats of the 30th district have been proud of Henry Waxman for representing his liberal constituents. We are even more encouraged by the bold moves he is making as the new Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. We thank him for his decades of service and commitment to us, his constituents.

This war is George Bush’s war. Bush bought it and the Republican majority paid for it – they have spent $1.1 billion dollars in tax revenue from the 30th district alone on this war. Now that the Democrats are the majority, we have the power to de-fund it and we say do it now! 70% of Californians say no to this war. If Waxman funds this war, he is buying this war for us. Do you want to own this war?

CONGRESSMAN WAXMAN CANNOT SIMULTANEOUSLY OPPOSE AND FUND THIS WAR.

Call him now. Tell him you will not fund Bush’s war!
323/651-1040

TAKE ACTION NOW - Help Stop The War!

On January 28, 2007 Congressman Waxman admitted he is not convinced it is time to use the power of the purse to end the war or even co-sponsor legislation that would bring the troops home within six months.

You can help now by calling him at
323/651-1040

Call Congressman Waxman now and insist he answer these questions:
1. How can he oppose the war and fund it at the same time?
2. How many more Deaths – American or Iraqi -- is he willing to fund in our names?
3. What is he doing to bring an immediate end to the U.S. occupation of Iraq?

From the March on Washington 1/27/07