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| Delaware Greens Demonstrate for Peace. |
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Green Party of Delaware Contact: Delaware Greens Demonstrate for PeaceGreen Party of Delaware members join with Pacem in Terris, other community peace groups, and concerned Delaware citizens to call for peace. Wilmington, Delaware - Green Party of Delaware (GPDE) members with dozens of other citizens endured temperatures in the teens and wind chills approaching 0 F Monday to voice their message of peace and opposition to the anticipated attack on Iraq. Carrying signs ranging from ³Teachers for Peace², ³No War for Oil², and ³Peace is the Way Forward², to ³Dump Bush - Not Bombs², peace advocates rallied in downtown Wilmington during rush hour. The diverse group included disabled veterans, high school students, homemakers and labor union workers. ³We had a terrific turn-out of people for peace², said Sally Milbury-Steen who heads Pacem in Terris, the community group that sponsored and organized the ŒLet the UN Inspections Work!¹ rally. ³To come out on such a frigid evening speaks of the tremendous commitment to peace these folks hold.² ³The Wilmington peace demonstration shows that many Delawareans are opposed to our government¹s plans to invade Iraq², said Steve Hegedus, Green Party member and co-founder of the Newark Coalition for Peace and Justice. ³We will continue to insist that our political leaders find peaceful means to resolve the conflict with Iraq. On February 15th we will help organize demonstrations in Newark to coincide with the International Day for Peace events around the world². Hegedus concluded, ³Our elected officials will see that many Americans do not support war with Iraq and that proceeding on the course to war is simply disastrous². In many ways we are the Œpeace party¹ ³, said Karen Lienau, Chair of the Green Party of Delaware Coordinating Council. ³We are committed to finding non-violent solutions to conflict - this is one of our 10 Key Values. The Democrat and Republican parties have abandoned peace in favor of oily campaign contributions. People who want peace will find a home in the Green Party², she noted. ³We are working hard to link with other peace and justice organizations in Delaware², said J. Roy Cannon one member of the Green Party of Delaware¹s Peace Committee who attended the demonstration. ³More and more, we see growing opposition to war with Iraq and the Green Party will certainly be in the thick of things to voice this opposition². The Green Party of the United States (USGP), as early as 9/20/02, spoke against military intervention to destroy Iraq and kill Saddam Hussein. Since then, approximately 10 public statements against a war with Iraq have been made. To further it¹s peace efforts, USGP has joined with others in various peace demonstrations such as the 10/02 demonstration. USGP recently endorsed United for Peace, a major organizer in the massive Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend peace action in Washington. GPDE List of Reasons Not to Engage in a War with Iraq: In solidarity with the USGP Lavender Caucus (representing gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual Greens), we do not support the U.S. military since it continues to deny GLBT rights to serve openly in the military and the on-going violence and discrimination towards GLBT in the military. An attack on Iraq would be illegal as it violates international law and the UN charter. Allies in the region and Europe are opposed to military intervention. Attacking Iraq will serve to confirm to others that the U.S. is the world Œbully¹ and will be less likely to cooperate with legitimate anti-terrorism strategies. Removing Saddam Hussein will create a power vacuum that would likely lead to more suffering for the innocent in the ensuing chaos. There is no evidence that the security and safety of the U.S. are directly threatened by Iraq. Iraq has not been linked to Al Qaeda or other active anti-American terrorist. The Gulf War and years of sanctions have disabled Iraq¹s military. A war against Iraq would be immensely costly at a time when resources are desperately needed to improved education, provide affordable, quality health care, job creation, and restoration of our environment. The UN inspection teams efforts are working. Peaceful means for addressing any Iraq weapons of mass destruction are available and in place. An invasion of Iraq could lead to their attack on Israel with biological and chemical weapons with a response from Israel that would serve as motivation for thousands of Iraqis and other Muslims to join terrorist networks like Al Qaeda, destabilizing the region including the fragile peace in India and Pakistan. The preelection day plan called ³Rebuilding American¹s Defenses², drafted by Cheney, Rumsfeld and Paul Wolfowitz pre-9/11outlines plans to invade Iraq so the U.S. will control the Persian Gulf oil region. In many ways, attacking Iraq is more about taking over oil fields than protecting American citizens. The people of Iraq have a right to self-determination without the U.S. attempting to choose it leaders and form of government. The planned for war with Iraq has undermined our American democracy and eroded our civil liberties. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT Green Party of Delaware Pacem In Terris Newark Coalition for Peace and Justice Green Party of the United States
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