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| Green Party Joins Newark Walk for Peace. |
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MEDIA RELEASE Newark, Delaware: Estimates of 400 to 500 people braved the cold and wet weather in a non-violent demonstration for peace on Newarkıs Main Street yesterday. The ³Walk for Peace² was sponsored by the Green Party of Delaware and a number of local community organizations including Pacem in Terris and Newark Citizens for Peace and Justice. Several Green Party leaders joined in the peace demonstration and 2002 Attorney General Candidate Vivian Houghton addressed the crowd. The Newark ³Walk for Peace² was part of the ³International Peace Day² where estimates of 10 to 20 million people world wide voiced their opposition to war with Iraq by taking to the streets. Vivian Houghton, Green Party 2002 Attorney General candidate addressed those attending the Walk for Peace. ³The Green Party is the party for peace², she said. ³We are speaking out against this war with Iraq and have done so from the very beginning.² She also pointed out that no leaders of the Democratic or Republican parties participated in the demonstration or were involved in organizing it. Bob Bohm, Green Party Coordinating Council member and UAW Local 1981 member, spoke to the crowd from his perspective as an army vet. "If the U.S. is worried about chemical weapons," Bohm said, "let's begin by worrying about Motiva's and General Chemical's pollutants which contribute to Delaware having the fourth highest cancer rate in the nation. And if Washington is concerned for Iraqi minorities like the Kurds, let the government first show its love of equal rights for minorities and people of color right here in Delaware where blacks are profiled and thrown in prison at a rate of 9 to 1 compared with whites. And with regard to the government's concern that Iraq's control of oil will hurt our economy and way of life, Republicans and Democrats should start dealing with our economic problems right here -- for instance, according to the U.S. census, the gap between Delawares highest earners and lowest earners has increased by 39% over the last two decades." ³We had a terrific turn out of people², said Nick Galasso, Green Party of Delaware Coordinating Council member and former leader of the UofD Campus Greens. ³We had peace walkersı from one end of Main Street to the other calling for peace.² ³A number of people called saying they couldnıt come because of the poor weather conditions. Also, some Delawareans decided to travel to Philadelphia and New York City to participate in those rallies², said Steve Hegedus, Green Party member and co-founder of Newark Citizens for Peace and Justice. Demonstrators in Newark chanted ³Drop Bush Not Bombs², ³1-2-3-4 We Donıt Want Your Oil War², ³Resistance is Fertile² and sang ³All We Are Saying Is Give Peace A Chance². The U.S. Green Party collaborated with United for Peace in organizing International Day for Peace on 2/15/03. ³Weıre proud to have linked Delaware with peace demonstrations here in the U.S. and across the globe,² said Karen Lienau, Green Party of Delaware Coordinating Council chair and activist for social and economic justice. ³Our government needs to get the message that a majority of people in the U.S. do not support a preemptive invasion of Iraq, especially one without the international communityıs approval and cooperation. Delaware citizens gave that message at yesterdayıs peace walk,² Lienau said. Current estimates of numbers of people at peace demonstrations are (from United for Peace): 2,500 IN TEL AVIV Pacem In Terris Newark Citizens for Peace and Justice
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