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Massive Peace Rally in Lancaster - March 15
by
michaelv | 03.06.2008
On March 15, 2008, an estimated 1,000 citizens will participate in demonstrations and rallies in Lancaster, PA advocating for non-violent resolutions to conflicts at home and abroad, and to show solidarity with the Iraqi people, who overwhelmingly, according to local independent surveys, want the U.S. led occupation to leave Iraq...... LANCASTER, PA – Lancaster County citizens, veterans, religious groups, scholars, civil rights advocates, and civic organizations will gather for a potentially record breaking peace rally on the Fifth Anniversary of the start of the Iraq War at Binns Park and then march to Southern Market. The Lancaster Coalition for Peace and Justice (LCPJ) will stress throughout the day that Lancaster residents need to hold our elected officials accountable in order to curtail massive budget cuts in social spending needed to pay for the military to return WW2 levels. In addition, officials must also be diligent in defending our civil liberties, the welfare of veterans and other US citizens, and the well-being of Iraqi and Afghan civilians. Participants and feeder marches will converge on Binns Park at 12 noon. Speakers will include active-duty soldier and York native Bill Kohler, Pam Adams, step-mother of Lancaster born Brent Adams, a soldier killed in action in Iraq, Titus Peachey of the Mennonite Central Committee, and lastly John Schreck of the LCPJ will close the rally at Binns Park. Ushers will then lead a march through the streets of Lancaster arriving at Southern Market by 2 PM. At this time, LCPJ will feature a live feed from the Winter Soldier program of Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) (http://ivaw.org/wintersoldier). At approximately 3 PM, Andy Hoover of ACLU PA will speak. Following Hoover will be the keynote speaker, Ms. Jana El Horr, a 2005 Fulbright Scholar of Iraqi-Lebanese descent and doctoral candidate at the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University. The day will end with a candlelight vigil on the old Courthouse steps at 7 PM commemorating all the lives lost on both sides since the beginning of post-9/11 military conflicts. “Citizen empowerment is the key to stopping this war and preventing the next one,” said Jim Groff of the LCPJ as he left the IVAW speaking event this past Sunday at McCaskey auditorium. Founded in 2003, The Lancaster Coalition for Peace and Justice, is one of the area's leading groups promoting peace and justice issues. We strive to build holistic sustainable communities that foster egalitarian values and long-lasting partnerships for change. We consider the tradition of dissent to be not only democratic, but patriotic as well.
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