[ANSWER]: July 4 Demo to Sto US Wars at Home & Abroad

[Michael Hoover <HooverM@xxxxxxxxxx>]

May 30, 2003

Dear Friends,

On Friday, July 4th George W. Bush has been invited to
Philadelphia to attend the opening ceremony of the
National Constitution Center. A number of Philadelphia
area organizations and individuals, along with
representatives from national anti-war and peace and
justice organizations have come together to call for a
National Protest in Philadelphia on July 4th to Stop U.S.
Wars at Home and Abroad.

We ask you or your organization to endorse this call and
to help build for this event. Please take time to read the
call below. Please endorse this call at:
July4Mobilization@xxxxxxxxxxx or call: 215-701-7341.

Include the name of your organization as you would like it
listed, a contact person, phone number, address and email.
We are also asking endorsing organizations to consider
making a pledge of financial or other material support
(photocopying, food for the event, etc.) to help with this
effort.

Your prompt response to this email is appreciated so that
materials we put out can show the broadest support
possible. Thank you.

Pending formal endorsements, groups that have participated
in building the July 4th Mobilization:

Act-Up Philadelphia, Anarcho-Communist Union of
Philadelphia, Act Now to Stop War & End Racism (ANSWER),
ATAC (Avenging the Ancestors Coalition), Brandywine Peace
Community, Catholic Peace Fellowship, Communist Party,
E.PA & DE, Defenestrator, Delaware County Wage Peace and
Justice, Democratic Socialists of America (Philadelphia),
Earth Charter Citizens, East Timor Action Network, Friends
of MOVE, Global Women's Strike, Green Party of
Philadelphia, International Action Center, International
Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal, Minority
Experience Network, National Organization of Women
(Philadelphia), NION, Partnership for Civil Justice, Peace
Action Delaware Valley, Philadelphia Anti-War Forum,
Philadelphia Regional Anti-War Network (PRAWN), Queers for
Peace and Justice, Refuse & Resist, Solidarity, Uhuru
Solidarity Committee, United for Peace and Justice, Unite
for Peace, Veterans for Peace, Wages for Housework
Campaign, Women's International League for Peace &
Freedom, Youth PAWR

Endorse the Call for a July 4th National Protest in
Philadelphia to Stop U.S. Wars At Home and Abroad On
Friday July 4th, join thousands in Philadelphia to protest
George W. Bush 8am protest, 10am rally, 12 noon march, 2pm
closing event (the culmination of a July 4th Week of
Actions in Philadelphia**)

Unite to Demand a total change in priorities: **An End to
U.S. Occupation of Iraq -- Bring the Troops Home ** No
Endless Wars, Occupation, Colonialism or U.S. Empire **
Repeal the USA Patriot Act, Restore Civil Liberties, End
Election Fraud & Corruption ** No to Racism, Sexism, and
Attacks on Immigrants ** No to Privatization, Cuts in
Education, Welfare, Veterans & Other Benefits & Services
** Money for Human Needs -- Not the Pentagon War Machine

On Friday, July 4th, George W. Bush, along with all living
former U.S. presidents, has been invited to speak at the
opening of the National Constitution Center in
Philadelphia. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor
will also be present to receive the Liberty Medal. They
will be celebrating in a building constructed on the
graves of enslaved Africans. They will be culminating a
week of "Welcome America" festivities sponsored by oil
giant Sunoco. We are determined to stop the never-ending
series of wars in the various forms it is taking against
people here and abroad. We stand with people everywhere
struggling for a world which values people over profits.
We stand in solidarity with people living under oppression
and occupation who have nothing to celebrate on this day.

Bush lied about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and
continues to lie when he claims the war is over, as more
troops are being sent to crush Iraqi resistance to U.S.
occupation. The people of Iraq are without electricity,
drinkable water, or medical care as unexploded cluster
bombs, a cholera epidemic, and bullets fired by U.S.
troops claim more lives every day. The U.S. continues to
discuss plans for regime change, either through invasions,
economic pressure or stepped up covert operations, against
all those who attempt to retain nominal sovereignty over
their own land and natural resources. Syria, southern
Lebanon, Palestine, North Korea, Cuba, Zimbabwe, Iran,
Venezuela, Colombia, Haiti and other countries are slated
for aggression. Yet the Pentagon's $400 billion budget is
over 30 times the combined military spending of all the
countries targeted in Bush's endless war plans.

We have an unelected president who stole the election by
denying the Black vote in Florida. There has been a
wholesale assault on the Bill of Rights through the
passage of the USA Patriot Act and institutionalized
racial profiling. Imprisonment is at an all time high with
over 2.2 million incarcerated and over 3,000 are on death
row. Single mothers of color are the fastest growing
prison population. Thousands of immigrants, even U.S.
citizens, have been detained without charges or trial. Due
process continues to be denied for political prisoners
Mumia Abu-Jamal, Leonard Peltier, the Cuban 5 and others.
Racism is on the rise; Affirmative Action is under attack;
restitution for slavery, the slaughter of indigenous
people, and colonial occupation has not happened; and the
corporate media gives right-wing politicians carte blanche
to attack the rights of workers, people of color, women
and lesbian, gay, bi, and trans people.

The Executive Branch under Bush has taken on near
dictatorial powers - its decisions rubber-stamped by
Congress and the Supreme Court. The Bush wars for US
corporate interests require a massive transfer of wealth
from social programs. The administration hands out
lucrative contracts to Bechtel, Halliburton, and Exxon,
and it has engineered over $2 trillion in tax giveaways
that primarily benefit the very rich. But the majority in
the U.S face record high unemployment; cuts in spending
for public transportation, housing, welfare, education,
childcare, veterans and HIV/AIDS benefits; and the closing
of hospitals, libraries, drub rehab centers and more, as
states are forced to balance their budgets because
Washington won't. The income gap is widening. According to
the Department of Labor, in the 1980's, income for the
average CEO was 40 times that of the average worker. Today
the difference is 531 times. Women earn 73% of what men
earn, 63% for Black women and 53% for Latina women while
women's caring work remains unvalued and unwaged.

But we do not face these difficult times without hope.
Millions of people from all walks of life came together in
this country and around the world in an unprecedented
outpouring against war and for social justice, and we
can't give up now. Let's draw from our peoples' histories
of resistance to injustice and stand up to be counted. We
in Philadelphia have been solid in our unity. By making
our voices heard in protests, by entering the political
process directly, we the people become a decisive factor.
The eyes of the world will be on Philadelphia on July 4th.
We ask you to be here with us.

To join the growing list of organizations endorsing this
call email:
July4Mobilization@xxxxxxxxxxx or call: 215-701-7341

**The week of local actions include: July 1 oppose the
state budget cuts; July 3 - 10am Women's march vs ROTC,
cuts & privatization; 12 noon demonstration vs the death
penalty; 4pm Avenging the Ancestors Coalition
demonstration at the National Constitution Center; July 6
- Interfaith Prayer Vigil.

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To Endorse go to email:
July4Mobilization@xxxxxxxxxxx

To list your transportation to the July 4th protest:
http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/j4/index.html#transp

To find transportation in your area:
http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/j4/july4transp.html

To download a flyer for the July 4th protest:
http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/resources/index.html

Student Organizing Form:
http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/j4/index.html#student

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FOR MORE INFORMATION
http://www.InternationalANSWER.org
http://www.VoteNoWar.org
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