March 5 Antiwar Moratorium Calls for No School, No Work, No Business as Usual

Interview with the Rev. Peter Laarman, March 5th Anti-War Moratorium organizer conducted by Scott Harris

Protests on Feb. 15 brought tens of millions of people in more than 600 cities across the world into the streets to oppose President Bush's plan for a "pre-emptive war" against Iraq. Not withstanding its previous failure to accurately cover Americans opposed to war, the massive demonstrations forced U.S. corporate media, for a brief moment to recognize the growing power of the anti-war movement.

Now, as the Bush administration makes final plans for its invasion of Iraq, U.S. peace groups are also contemplating their strategy to stop or slow down the march to war. One of the next nationally coordinated actions will occur on Wednesday, March 5 when a coalition of dozens of groups will engage in what they're calling the "National Moratorium to Stop the War on Iraq." Under the banner of "No School, No Work, No Business as Usual," religious, labor and student groups across the country will hold a variety of actions, including walk-outs, teach-ins and protests to send a message of resistance to what they believe will be an "unjust war."

Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with the Rev. Peter Laarman, co-chair of the New York City Forum of Concerned Religious Leaders and organizer of the March 5th Moratorium to Stop the War. Laarman describes the types of actions being planned and the tactics being contemplated should the White House launch a war against Baghdad.

For more information on the March 5th National Moratorium to Stop the War on Iraq, call (866) 54-NOWAR or visit their Web site at www.moratoriumtostopwar.org

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