After much preliminary organizing, United for Peace and Justice and dozens of other leading groups have launched “The Declaration of Peace,” a campaign to pressure the U.S. government to stop its war and occupation on Iraq, much as the Pledge of Resistance did long ago.
The plan is simple. We continue to call for the immediate end of the war on Iraq, but presuming it does not end in the next few weeks, we urge every peace group in the nation to organize nonviolent civil disobedience at their local congressional representative’s office during the week of September 21-28, 2006, just days before Congress adjourns for the fall elections. We will hold our banners, demand that the troops come home, and sit in with steadfast nonviolence demanding an end to this mad war. And we will keep up the public pressure through the fall until a breakthrough for peace.
“The Declaration of Peace” Pledge reads in part as follows:
“I join with the majority of U.S. citizens, the people of Iraq, and people around the world in calling for a comprehensive end to the U.S. war in Iraq. I solemnly pledge to 1.) call on the Bush administration and Congress to immediately withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq, with no future redeployments; 2.) urge my congressional representatives to adopt a ‘bring the troops home now’ position, and to establish a concrete, comprehensive withdrawal plan no later than September 21, 2006, International Peace Day, just days before Congress adjourns; 3.) participate in marches, rallies, demonstrations and other peaceful strategies to establish this plan; and 4.) engage in nonviolent civil disobedience, as conscience leads me, if this plan for a comprehensive withdrawal is not established and activated no later than September 21, 2006.”
The plan calls for local and regional peace groups around the country to promote the Declaration of Peace Pledge. Out task is to recruit friends and activists and everyone we know to sign it, then to organize vigils and sit-ins at local Congressional representatives’ offices during the week of September 21-28, 2006.
A few of the national organizations which have already signed on to the Declaration include: United for Peace and Justice, Peace Action, Pax Christi USA, Call to Action, CodePink, War Resisters League, and the Network for Spiritual Progressives.
I think the time has come for just such a systematic, organized national campaign to demand peace with Iraq and employ the old movement weapon of civil disobedience. Every major movement for peace and justice in our history was able to turn a corner finally when its members nonviolently and illegally disrupted the big business of war and injustice.
My first response to this “Declaration of Peace” pledge was--“Sign Me Up!” I hope tens of thousands will also sign on, spread the word, sit in, and speak out, saying loudly and clearly for all to hear: “We, the people, declare peace. Bring the troops home now!”
Sign Me Up for the Declaration of Peace!
http://www.declarationofpeace.org
