The ANSWER Coalition is an endorser and is mobilizing its members, supporters and the larger movement to support an important series of events that culminate in a rally and march on Saturday, March 21, marking the 12-year anniversary since the 2003 invasion of Iraq and opposing the ongoing U.S. war, which has been recently restarted in a new form.
“Spring Rising” is four days of creative resistance; theater, teach-ins; rallies and marches marking the anniversary of the United States’ "shock and awe" attack on Iraq and its invasion and occupation in a completely illegitimate, immoral war. Together we will use this time to oppose the plans and calls for growing military intervention.
As we send this invitation to you the Congress is calling for more war. The President has just told us a new global “war on terror” may be unlimited in space and time.
- Are you, like us, stunned and enraged by more war on the world?
- Did you or your organization join in the protests against police violence and murder, because Black Lives Matter?
- Are you with the Dreamers working for rights for all people to live without fear?
- Are you one of the many who have dropped everything to protest the global destruction of the environment because of our dependence on fossil fuels which is also a reason for our wars?
- Are you agonized over the ongoing U.S. military support for Israel, the recent killing of 2,000 Arab men, women, and children last summer in Gaza?
- Are you furious about the killing and terrorizing of Muslims in the U.S?
Then, join us! Your participation in Spring Rising is urgently needed now to organize protests, participate in teach-ins and to put your art and performance on mass display. Together we can create the vibrant resistance needed to show that terrorizing the world is not in our interest and “not in our name.”
These days together will be vitally important for building the movement we need to oppose war and the violence and oppression of empire at home and abroad.
Here's the schedule so far:
WEDNESDAY MARCH 18
5 – 7:30 pm Meet & Greet
7:30 pm Concert – David Rovics & friends Plymouth United Church of Christ 5301 N. Capital Street NE Donation
THURSDAY MARCH 19
9:00 am – 1:00 pm "Challenging Congress" – a morning of lobbying against U.S. wars
Organized by Codepink
Meet in Rayburn House Office cafeteria 45 Independence Avenue South
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm People’s Uprising Tour: From Empire and War to Justice with Peace.
1:00 pm pickup U.S. Capitol (specific place TBA)
End, White House.
Bus tour organized by the Peoples' Soapbox Network to offices of those agencies & companies who plan, profit from and are complicit in war crimes of empire. Details
7:00 – 9:00 pm Teach In Part One: "Connected: U.S. Military Aggression & Climate Catastrophe”
Speakers: Mai Abdul Rahman, David Schwartzman. Others TBA
La Casa 3166 Mount Pleasant Street NW
FRIDAY MARCH 20
11:00 am – 9:30 pm Teach-In Part Two
Organized by World Can't Wait
University of the District of Columbia Law School 4200 Connecticut Avenue NW
11:00 – 12:30: From Ukraine to ISIS to Drones: Why We Must Demilitarize US Foreign Policy.
Speakers: Marjorie Cohn, Matthew Hoh, Raymond McGovern
1:00 – 2:30 Stopping Targeted Killing by the U.S. Around the World & Stopping Killing with Impunity by U.S. Police; Connections & Challenges
Speakers:Marsha Coleman-Abedayo, Carl Dix, Nick Mottern
3:00 – 4:30: End These Endless Wars: Perspectives from Veterans and Military Families
Speakers: Kevin Lucey
5-6:30 World Beyond War: An Alternative Global Security System
Speakers: David Swanson, Matthew Hoh, Robert Fantina
Panel Facebook Page
7:00 - 9:00 U.S. Wars of Aggression and Islamic Jihad: What is the Danger, and How Should the Anti-war Movement Respond?
Speakers: William Blum, Alan Goodman, Raed Jarrar, Cindy Sheehan,
SATURDAY MARCH 21
Rally and March
Rally: 12:00pm
Organized by ANSWER
Gather at Layfayette Park across from the White House
Confirmed Speakers: Cindy Sheehan, Debra Sweet, David Swanson and Brian Becker.
Many more to be confirmed
March: 1pm- We will be marching from Layfayette Park through China Town and end at the Capitol where there will be a brief rally. Along the march route we will be stopping at designated intersections and locations for mini rallies, actions and speakers.
Details
Warming Centers
...will be available for music, cultural exchanges, meeting up, banner making.
For info on the following Warming Centers, please email [email protected] or call 202-390-2449.
St. Stephen’s
1525 Newton St., NW (northeast corner of 16th and Newton Sts., NW)
- March 19 Noon – 5 pm
- March 20 10 am – 5 pm
La Casa
3166 Mount Pleasant Street NW
- March 18th 5 pm – Midnight
- March 19th 5 pm – Midnight
- March 20th (basement only) 5 pm – Midnight
Spring Rising will comprise a number of events including a large rally and march, a teach-in, and lobbying. Its goal is to increase opposition to wars and militarism, and in particular to U.S. military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria, as well as all U.S. drone attacks and surveillance worldwide. Spring Rising advocates the closure of U.S. military bases overseas, and the dismantling of the U.S. nuclear arsenal. We urge the demilitarization of police forces and a halt to their targeting of minority communities. We seek to increase understanding of and resistance to U.S. military operations' acceleration of climate chaos.
This nonviolent intervention was originally proposed by Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox and theSoapbox People's Network. It has been endorsed and will be supported by Amnesty International Charlottesville, the ANSWER Coalition, Antiwar.com, the Bill of Rights Defense Committee, theBaltimore Pledge of Resistance, Center on Conscience & War, Washington, DC, Chelsea Neighbors United to End the War, Citizens for Peace, CND CYMRU, CODEPINK, Courage to Resist, FIST, Frack Free Nation, the Granny Peace Brigade of New York City, International Action Center, KnowDrones.com, Maryland United for Peace and Justice, Military Families Speak Out, Minnesota Peace Action, National Association Against Police Brutality, the National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance, the Network to Stop Drone Surveillance and Warfare, The No Fear Coalition, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, Pax Christi Metro DC-Baltimore, Peace Action in Staten Island, Peace Academy at Liberty, Peace Action Montgomery, Peace Fresno,Popular Resistance, Revolutionary Organization of Labor USA, SOA Watch, Syracuse Peace Council, United for Peace and Justice, United National Antiwar Coalition, Upstate Coalition to Ground the Drones and End the Wars, US Foreign Policy Activist Cooperative, Vegans for Nonviolence, Veterans For Peace, Virginia Defenders for Freedom, Justice & Equality, Voices for Creative Non-Violence, WarIsACrime.org, Washington Peace Center, Witness Against Torture,Women"s International League for Peace and Freedom, World Beyond War, and World Can't Wait. Pax Christi Phoenix