Forwarded Message from Mike Yarrow of Fellowship of Reconciliation:
Dear Peace Pledge Friends,
This morning two groups with approximately five people in each arrived at Senators Cantwell and Murray's offices announcing that they would wait to hear whether the senators would vote against a war with Iraq. We felt compelled to take this action because we know our senators have received thousands of communications against war and still, in their statements are leaving open the possibility of voting for war. We hope you will feel moved to call their offices in DC and Seattle and say you want them to vote against war. The groups consist of four or five FOR members, two ministers and other anxious, but committed people. We come from the new coalition, Sound Nonviolent Opponents of War(SNOW). We hope you will keep us in your thoughts and prayers.
We decided to take this action before the Congressional vote on the Bush resolution even though we have very little time to plan. If you possibly can visit the senators' offices and tell them what you think in person, that can't hurt. We look forward to more creative and courageous actions in the future. Some young people will stand on the sidewalk below and ask people to phone up to the senators offices.
Our love to you all!
Mike Yarrow
Murray
In DC 202 224-2621 FAX 202 224-0238
In Seattle 206 553-5545
Cantwell
In DC 202 224-3441 FAX 202 228-0514
In Seattle 206 220-6400
Plea to Senators Murray and Cantwell
Vote No on a War with Iraq!
We come to our Senators offices with heavy hearts. Our nation is on the brink of a still wider war with Iraq. Next week Congress will vote on a war resolution proposed by President Bush. We and thousands of Washingtonians have called and written our Senators asking them to take a vocal stand against such a war which will bring tragedy to the people of Iraq and we believe to America. We have sent delegations who have met with aides but never with the Senators themselves. We are still getting communications from the senators which do not make clear where they stand on this critical issue affecting all of us. We call on our Senators to join Congressman Jim McDermott in exerting leadership for peace. We will wait in their offices until we get definitive word from them that they will vote against war and will make their position known to the people they represent.
We oppose this war for many reasons:
- It will cause additional death and suffering to the people of Iraq who have no way to affect their leader. We simply cannot go after a dictator by killing the people!
- It will cause death, injury and distress to thousands of young Americans for no constructive purpose. We have known that tragedy in the past.
- There is a peaceful alternative to assure that President Hussein does not possess weapons of mass destruction. UN weapons inspectors would be accepted by Iraq if the current weekly bombings of Iraq were halted, the devastating economic sanctions were lifted, and the UN inspectors were prohibited from giving information to US intelligence.
- We believe this war will greatly hinder efforts to prevent future attacks on the US by undermining international cooperation.
- We believe the way to greater security for Americans and others is to strengthen, not weaken, world institutions such as the UN and the International Criminal Court and to devote our resources to narrowing the gap between the rich and the poor.
- We believe such a war will injure US relations with many countries and destabilize the whole region.
- We believe this war might provoke exactly what the President Bush says he wants to prevent. By announcing he intends to remove Hussein, he removes the deterrent value of the US military. Hussein might, when cornered, attack Israel with whatever weapons he has.
- At the beginning of a new century our young people deserve better than President Bush's gloomy policy of perpetual war. We believe a peaceful and just world is possible.
Western Washington Fellowship of Reconciliation
www.scn.org/activism/wwfor
wwfor@connectexpress.com 206 789-5565