Peace Rally And March ..... Birmingham, Alabama... Sept. 24.

Alabama Says: Stop the War on Iraq!
Saturday, September 24th 2005 2 pm
Birmingham, AL USA

Statewide Peace Rally And March Announced for Downtown Birmingham on Sept. 24

On Saturday, Sept. 24, peace advocates from across Alabama will gather in downtown Birmingham at Kelly Ingram Park to demand an end to the war on Iraq. The message is: Stop the killing! Support our troops, bring them home now! Money for human needs, not war!

This event coincides with huge peace rallies that will be held the same day in Washington, DC, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Hundreds of thousands of Americans are expected to attend these events which are sponsored by United for Peace and Justice and ANSWER, two national organizations that have spearheaded other country-wide peace efforts since the Iraq invasion.

The main organizers for this Alabama event are Alabama Peace and Justice Coalition, Veterans for Peace, Alabama Chapter, and Military Families Speak Out - Alabama. Another 40+ religious, political and social service organizations from around the state and nationwide are co-sponsoring this event. See the current list below.

These peace actions come at a time when public polls show more and more Americans losing faith in the war and how it's being handled. Newsweek magazine reported on Aug. 6, 2005 that 61 percent of Americans say they disapprove of the way President George W. Bush is handling the war in Iraq. The poll also shows that 64 percent say the war in Iraq has not made Americans safer.

Priscilla Andrews, director of the Military Families Speak Out - Alabama Chapter, said this about the Alabama event, "I am very pleased that there are wonderful people in our state who see the extreme need to proceed ahead in their endeavors to help make this world a better place to live in, to take a stand to stop this unjust war and to help bring our loved ones home where they belong." Andrews' son recently returned home to Dothan, Ala., after a 14-month assignment in Iraq. Andrews was recently awarded Honorary Colonel status by Governor Bob Riley and Adjutant General M. Bowen of the State of Alabama for her work to raise private funds for needed military equipment for her son's troop.

Ashley Reynolds, a Decatur native and volunteer for Alabama Peace and Justice Coalition, draws from her Catholic background in explaining her position on the war when she commented, "Jesus said love your enemies, not bomb them." Reynolds, who is coordinating endorsers for this event, reported that her contact with a national organization out of the Northeast commented that, "Massachusetts is always irritated about something and Maine is pretty ticked off, but when Alabama gets irritated, we know something is going on!"

The statewide peace action being held in Birmingham is titled "Alabama Says: Stop the War on Iraq!" It includes a rally with inspiring speeches, live music performances, shared stories, and memorial exhibits for fallen American, Iraqi and Afghanistan soldiers. Speakers and entertainment for the rally will be announced soon. The march will include drummers, giant peace puppets, colorful banners and more along a one-mile route on downtown streets. The march will begin and end in Kelly Ingram Park.

EVENT: "Alabama Says: Stop the War on Iraq!" Activities include a rally and march.

WHERE: Kelly Ingram Park, 1700 6th Ave. N., Birmingham, AL

TIME: 2 - 5 PM

WHO: Workers, students, families, veterans, soldiers, politicians, religious groups and others from across the state. Over 40 peace, veteran, religious, political and other organizations have joined us in sponsoring/endorsing this statewide event.

WHY: Send a message across Alabama and to the Administration that we want out of Iraq now! This is a critical time for us and our nation.

MORE INFO: www.AlabamaPeaceAndJustice.org


Kelly Ingram Park is located in the historic downtown area and is across the street from the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. Participants are reminded to bring lawn chairs or blankets. Free water will be provided. Participants are also encouraged to bring signs that share their thoughts for peace; extra signs will be available for those who want one.




EVENT ORGANIZERS.
The main organizations planning this event are the Alabama Peace and Justice Coalition; Veterans for Peace, Alabama Chapter; and Military Families Speak Out - Alabama. The Alabama Peace and Justice Coalition is an informal coalition of eight peace groups around the state. This rally is their first major collaborative event.


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Alabama Peace and Justice Coalition
www.AlabamaPeaceAndJustice.org
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For Immediate Release: August 15, 2005
Contacts:
Linda Haynes, Event Coordinator, Alabama Peace and Justice Coalition, 256-489-3884 (tel), 256-682-7179 (cell), Lahaynes@knology.net
Diane McNaron, Birmingham Peace Project, 205-838-1391 (tel), 205-908-4424 (cell), dianemcnaron@aol.com
David Gespass, Birmingham Peace Project, 205-323-5966 (tel), 205-566-2530 (cell), ThePasss@aol.com


Event sponsors: (additional sponsors are being added daily)
+ Alabama Peace and Justice Coalition
+ Veterans for Peace, Alabama Chapter
+ Military Families Speak Out - Alabama
+ Alabama Peace First (Anniston/Jacksonville)
+ Birmingham Peace Project
+ East Alabama Alliance for Global Justice (Auburn/Opelika/Lanett)
+ Mobile Citizens For Peace
+ Montgomery Peace Project
+ North Alabama Peace Network
+ Tuscaloosa Peace Project
+ Alabama Green Party
+ Alabama New South Coalition
+ National Lawyers Guild, Alabama Chapter
+ Birmingham Islamic Society
+ Birmingham Interfaith Human Rights Committee
+ Photo Digital Printing Services
+ Birmingham Friends Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
+ Gespass & Johnson
+ Alabama Democratic Conference, Madison County Chapter
+ Project Hope to Abolish the Death Penalty
+ Mary's House Catholic Worker
+ Pax Christi, Birmingham
+ Greater Birmingham Ministries
+ Grandmothers for Peace International
+ Blount County Committee for Peace and Justice
+ Chambers County Chapter of the Alabama New South Coalition
+ Episcopal Peace Fellowship of Alabama
+ Greater Birmingham Progressive Democrats of America

Event endorsers: (additional endorsers are being added daily)
- Kathy Kelly, Voices in the Wilderness
- Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition / Atlanta
- American Friends Service Committee
- Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space
- Iraq Veterans Against the War
- Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
- 21st Century Youth Leadership Movement
- Peace Action
- Not in Our Name, National Office
- School of the Americas Watch
- Traprock Peace Center
- September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows
- Central Committee on Conscientious Objectors
- Survivors Take Action Against Abuse by Military Personnel