Long Beach Activists March on International Day of Action

by Sharon Cotrell Friday, Feb. 14, 2003 at 4:43 PM
sharoncotrell@charter.net

Long Beach, the "International City" marches to City Hall, on the "International Day of Action," saying "No War" and delivers to the City Council their proposed "No War On Iraq" Resolution.

LONG BEACH AREA PEACE NETWORK www.lbapn.net www.lbapn.org

NEWS
For Immediate Release

Contact: Sharon Cotrell (562) 433-7025
Gene Ruyle: (562) 438-6505

Photo Opportunities

Long Beach, the "International City" marches to City Hall, on the "International Day of Action," saying "No War" and delivers to the City Council their proposed "No War On Iraq" Resolution.

February 15th has been declared a worldwide day of action and demonstrations will be staged in over 500 cities throughout the United States and around the world. Event organizers report a tremendous spike in interest in the last two days and now expect the turn out to exceed 300. The phone rings constantly in two homes, reports Kathy Pliska, LBAPN Treasurer. A recent appeal for funds yielded many generous gifts. A local business volunteered to make T-shirts for the event at little over cost. Almost 200 of these have been ordered Kathy said.

A permit was obtained for the event, and an agreement was made with the City that one lane will be closed to traffic and that protestors can march in that lane. Protesters will assemble at the Promenade and Broadway at 11:30 AM, march at Noon and expect to reach City Hall about 1 PM.

The March route will be east on Broadway, north onto Long Beach Blvd, east on 7th St and south on Pacific to Broadway and there to City Hall.

After a brief ceremonial presentation of their Resolution to any Council Representatives present, they will move to the park adjacent to City Hall for the Rally which will. feature music, political skits and speeches and an "Open Mike." Confirmed speakers include Long Beach City Councilwoman, Tonia Reyes Uranga; Professor Eduarta Schwarzbach; Labor Leaders, Ray Cordova (Vietnam Vet and Chairman, So County Labor AFL-CIO and David Arian (President of the Harry Bridges Institute and Past President of the ILWU International); Latrice Dixon, community activist with Justice Coalition, LB and the Black Women's Forum; eleven year old Natasha H reading her poem about Iraqi children. Other speakers to be confirmed.

At the City Council meeting Tuesday night, Sharon Cotrell, Political Action Chair of Long Beach Area Peace Network, invited The Mayor and all Long Beach City Council Representatives to speak at the Rally, to express their views on this war, pro or con. "This is the most critical issue facing our Nation and our World, and public debate is essential," she said.

The group's resolution for peace is modeled after others already adopted in the "Cities for Peace" campaign, "A national coalition of local officials and concerned citizens working to express the will of their communities through civic resolutions regarding the proposed war in Iraq" according to the campaign's website, www.ips-dc.org/citiesforpeace. Atlanta passed a similar resolution February 12, making it the 90th resolution "opposing the war, including cities, counties, and state legislative bodies." Long Beach should adopt this resolution "because we are an international city, with sister cities in Russia, and Cambodia, places that have been devastated by war. We need to take a stand for world peace," said Gene Ruyle, Professor of Anthropology at CSULB. and founding member of the Long Beach Area Peace Network (LBAPN).

At the Martin Luther King Parade and Rally January 18, where peace advocates first began gathering signatures to support their Resolution, people's enthusiasm was overwhelming. Linda Harman, LBAPN and Greens activist, was amazed, "People didn't even want to read the resolution," she said, "They were grabbing the petition, saying--'against war--I'm against war; let me sign it', Linda reported.

Endorsing organizations include the Long Beach Area Peace Network (LBAPN), the Peter Carr Peace Center, CSULB; the Long Beach Greens; Grey Panthers, LB; the Social Concerns Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Church, LB; Citizens for a Better Long Beach; Campus Progressives, CSULB; and the Progressive Politics Working Group, LBCC.

People wanting more information about the march and rally should visit the website www.lbapn.net where event flyers and petitions are downloadable or contact: Sharon 562-433-7025; Kathy Pliska 562-498-3512 or Gene 562-438-6505.













LONG BEACH AREA PEACE NETWORK www.lbapn.net www.lbapn.org

NEWS

For Immediate Release

Contact: Sharon Cotrell (562) 433-7025
Gene Ruyle: (562) 438-6505

Photo Opportunities

Long Beach, the "International City" marches to City Hall, on the "International Day of Action," saying "No War" and delivers to the City Council their proposed "No War On Iraq" Resolution.

February 15th has been declared a worldwide day of action and demonstrations will be staged in over 500 cities throughout the United States and around the world. Event organizers report a tremendous spike in interest in the last two days and now expect the turn out to exceed 300. The phone ringis constantly in two homes, reports Kathy Pliska, LBAPN Treasurer. A recent appeal for funds yielded many generous gifts. Local business volunteered to make T-shirts for the event at little over cost. Almost 200 of these have been ordered Kathy said.

A permit was obtained for the event, and an agreement was made with the City so that one lane will be closed to traffic so that protestors can march in that lane. Protesters will assemble at the Promenade and Broadway at 11:30 AM, march at Noon and expect to reach City Hall about 1 PM.

The March route will be east on Broadway, north onto Long Beach Blvd, east on 7th St and south on Pacific to Broadway and there to City Hall.

After a brief ceremonial presentation of their Resolution to any Council Representatives present, they will move to the park adjacent to City Hall for the Rally. featuring music, political skits and speeches and an "Open Mike." Confirmed speakers include Long Beach City Councilwoman, Tonia Reyes Uranga; Professor Eduarta Schwarzbach; Labor Leaders, Ray Cordova (Vietnam Vet and Chairman, So County Labor AFL-CIO and David Arian (President of the Harry Bridges Institute and Past President of the ILWU International); Latrice Dixon, community activist with Justice Coalition, LB and the Black Women's Forum; eleven year old Natasha H reading her poem about Iraqi children. Other speakers to be confirmed.

At the City Council meeting Tuesday night, Sharon Cotrell, Political Action Chair of Long Beach Area Peace Network, invited The Mayor and all Long Beach City Council Representatives to speak at the Rally, to express their views on this war, pro or con. "This is the most critical issue facing our Nation and our World, and public debate is essential," she said.

The group's resolution for peace is modeled after others already adopted in the "Cities for Peace" campaign, "A national coalition of local officials and concerned citizens working to express the will of their communities through civic resolutions regarding the proposed war in Iraq" according to the campaign's website, www.ips-dc.org/citiesforpeace. Atlanta passed a similar resolution February 12, making it the 90th resolution "opposing the war, including cities, counties, and state legislative bodies." Long Beach should adopt this resolution "because we are an international city, with sister cities in Russia, and Cambodia, places that have been devastated by war. We need to take a stand for world peace," said Gene Ruyle, Professor of Anthropology at CSULB. and founding member of the Long Beach Area Peace Network (LBAPN).

At the Martin Luther King Parade and Rally January 18, where peace advocates first began gathering signatures to support their Resolution, people's enthusiasm was overwhelming. Linda Harman, LBAPN and Greens activist, was amazed, "People didn't even want to read the resolution," she said, "They were grabbing the petition, saying--'against war--I'm against war; let me sign it', Linda reported.

Endorsing organizations include the Long Beach Area Peace Network (LBAPN), the Peter Carr Peace Center, CSULB; the Long Beach Greens; Grey Panthers, LB; the Social Concerns Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Church, LB; Citizens for a Better Long Beach; Campus Progressives, CSULB; and the Progressive Politics Working Group, LBCC.

People wanting more information about the march and rally should visit the website www.lbapn.net where event flyers and petitions are downloadable or contact: Sharon 562-433-7025; Kathy Pliska 562-498-3512 or Gene 562-438-6505.


LONG BEACH AREA PEACE NETWORK www.lbapn.net www.lbapn.org

NEWS

For Immediate Release

Contact: Sharon Cotrell (562) 433-7025
Gene Ruyle: (562) 438-6505

Photo Opportunities

Long Beach, the "International City" marches to City Hall, on the "International Day of Action," saying "No War" and delivers to the City Council their proposed "No War On Iraq" Resolution.

February 15th has been declared a worldwide day of action and demonstrations will be staged in over 500 cities throughout the United States and around the world. Event organizers report a tremendous spike in interest in the last two days and now expect the turn out to exceed 300. The phone ringis constantly in two homes, reports Kathy Pliska, LBAPN Treasurer. A recent appeal for funds yielded many generous gifts. Local business volunteered to make T-shirts for the event at little over cost. Almost 200 of these have been ordered Kathy said.

A permit was obtained for the event, and an agreement was made with the City so that one lane will be closed to traffic so that protestors can march in that lane. Protesters will assemble at the Promenade and Broadway at 11:30 AM, march at Noon and expect to reach City Hall about 1 PM.

The March route will be east on Broadway, north onto Long Beach Blvd, east on 7th St and south on Pacific to Broadway and there to City Hall.

After a brief ceremonial presentation of their Resolution to any Council Representatives present, they will move to the park adjacent to City Hall for the Rally. featuring music, political skits and speeches and an "Open Mike." Confirmed speakers include Long Beach City Councilwoman, Tonia Reyes Uranga; Professor Eduarta Schwarzbach; Labor Leaders, Ray Cordova (Vietnam Vet and Chairman, So County Labor AFL-CIO and David Arian (President of the Harry Bridges Institute and Past President of the ILWU International); Latrice Dixon, community activist with Justice Coalition, LB and the Black Women's Forum; eleven year old Natasha H reading her poem about Iraqi children. Other speakers to be confirmed.

At the City Council meeting Tuesday night, Sharon Cotrell, Political Action Chair of Long Beach Area Peace Network, invited The Mayor and all Long Beach City Council Representatives to speak at the Rally, to express their views on this war, pro or con. "This is the most critical issue facing our Nation and our World, and public debate is essential," she said.

The group's resolution for peace is modeled after others already adopted in the "Cities for Peace" campaign, "A national coalition of local officials and concerned citizens working to express the will of their communities through civic resolutions regarding the proposed war in Iraq" according to the campaign's website, www.ips-dc.org/citiesforpeace. Atlanta passed a similar resolution February 12, making it the 90th resolution "opposing the war, including cities, counties, and state legislative bodies." Long Beach should adopt this resolution "because we are an international city, with sister cities in Russia, and Cambodia, places that have been devastated by war. We need to take a stand for world peace," said Gene Ruyle, Professor of Anthropology at CSULB. and founding member of the Long Beach Area Peace Network (LBAPN).

At the Martin Luther King Parade and Rally January 18, where peace advocates first began gathering signatures to support their Resolution, people's enthusiasm was overwhelming. Linda Harman, LBAPN and Greens activist, was amazed, "People didn't even want to read the resolution," she said, "They were grabbing the petition, saying--'against war--I'm against war; let me sign it', Linda reported.

Endorsing organizations include the Long Beach Area Peace Network (LBAPN), the Peter Carr Peace Center, CSULB; the Long Beach Greens; Grey Panthers, LB; the Social Concerns Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Church, LB; Citizens for a Better Long Beach; Campus Progressives, CSULB; and the Progressive Politics Working Group, LBCC.

People wanting more information about the march and rally should visit the website www.lbapn.net where event flyers and petitions are downloadable or contact: Sharon 562-433-7025; Kathy Pliska 562-498-3512 or Gene 562-438-6505.