[Marxism] Demilitarize America March This Mothers Day

["Tony Abdo" <gojack10@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

All socialists should support this cause, and participate in expanding the
consciosness of why America is a gun culture.  We need to demand that the
militarism of our government's foreign policy and excessive policing of our
communities be stopped now, and make it the dominant part of socialist
participation in this movement.

Socialist abstentionism from this movement is politically backward, because
in essence any progressive movement to stop violence in US streets, is one
that essentially has to demand to curtail the size of both the police, and
military, too.  Abstentionism from  events such as these, will only allow
the Right Wing an opening to turn a struggle against 'guns', into a struggle
against 'criminals'.  Our demands should be to stop gun violence by
decreasing the funding for police and military, and to stop gun violence by
constantly criminalizing poor people, and jailing them excessively for minor
drug use, prostitution, homelessness, and all the other legal abuses of poor
people done by the police departments.

Tony Abdo

http://www.mmm2004.com/why/

Mothers Day March to Halt the Assault
WHY WE MARCH

As the Million Mom March, we stand against gun violence and the devastation
it causes. We believe it is time for our nation to confront the crisis of
gun violence and hope you will join with us in calling on Congress to value
lives more than guns.

We March
to Halt the Assault on our families, our safety, our civil rights and our
gun laws.

We March
because since our first march in 2000, 120,000 people have been killed by a
firearm in America, 13,000 of them children and teens.

We March
to call on Congress to renew and strengthen the Assault Weapons Ban, to hold
gun manufacturers accountable for their products, to require background
checks on all gun purchases, to reinstate the 5-day Brady waiting period for
all gun purchases, and to incorporate safety standards into gun design.

We March
because we believe that the public awareness created by our 2000 event
helped reduce the number of children killed by gunfire in a year by 23% --
but with the current assault on our minimal gun laws, we fear that number
will rise once again.

We March
to create an America where all people are safe from gun violence.

EVENT DETAILS
MOTHER'S DAY EVENTS
West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, Sunday, May 9, 10am-3pm

Mother's Day March to Halt the Assault
A day of speeches, reflections, sharing, and marching.

Interfaith Prayer Service, 10am-11am
music, dance, readings, and prayers from the world's religions.

Halt the Assault Rally, 11am-2:30pm
speeches and performances, including
Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr.
Senator Barbara Boxer
Congressman Jim Moran
Congressman Jon Conyers
Congressman Brad Sherman
Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton
Mayor Anthony Williams
Dr. Antonia Novello, former Surgeon General
Chief Charles Moose
Marianne Williamson, Author
Richard North Patterson, Author
Kenneth Cole, Designer
Doug E Fresh, Rapper
Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul & Mary)
as well as other victims, survivors, advocates, and supporters
click here to read speaker's bios

March down Constitution Avenue, 2:30pm-3pm

Join us on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol on Mother's Day to bring our
Halt the Assault message to the front door of Congress. This day will be an
opportunity to tell Congress to Halt the Assault on our safety, our
families, and our gun laws.

The day will start at 10:00am with an Interfaith Service where all faiths
will be welcome. Among the various forms of prayer, the Service will contain
a call to prayer, readings from various traditions, music and hymns, and
prayers of remembrance for those who have died from gun violence.

> From 11:00am to 2:30pm, we will listen to speakers share their stories of
how violence has impacted their lives and how the gun lobby has assaulted
their lives and families. Informational booths and other visual elements
will be peppered throughout the area.

And at 2:30pm, we will march down Constitution Avenue, west toward the
Washington Monument, ending our march at 15th and Constitution, across the
street from the Ellipse in front of the White House. The march will also be
the send-off for our summer long, Coast-to-Coast Halt the Assault Tour.

The event site is wheelchair accessible and interpreters will be on-hand for
the hearing impaired.

Let's join each other on Mother's Day for an opportunity to remember and
recognize those affected by gun violence, and to let Congress know we are
here and we must Halt the Assault!

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