Wisconsin Green Party
wisconsingreenparty.org
September 2, 2005
Contacts:
Jeff Peterson, Campaign Coordinator
Referendum on Troop Withdrawal from Iraq 715.472.2728
Jill Bussiere, Co-Chair, Wisconsin Green Party
920.388.0529, cell - 920.255.2175, jdt@wisconsingreenparty.org
Green Party's Bring The Troops Home Now
Referendum Another Part of the Same Effort as Camp casey Caravan
The Wisconsin Green Party, whose "Bring The Troops Home Now"
referendum is getting organized throughout the state, endorses the
Camp Casey Caravan, which will arrive in Madison this weekend. The
Wisconsin stop of the "Bring Them Home Now Tour." includes a
rally at the Barrymore Theatre, 2090 Atwood Avenue in Madison, this
Sunday, September 4th, at 7pm. In addition, shortly after arriving in
Madison, tour members will speak at a press conference on Saturday
night, September 3rd, at 8:30pm, at the Social Justice Center, 1202
Williamson Street, in Madison.
The Barrymore rally will feature speakers from
Gold Star Families for Peace, Military Families Speak Out, and Iraq
Veterans Against the War, as well as singing and performances led by
area musicians. The rally is free to the public; donations will be
accepted.
"We are glad to see the Camp Casey Caravan
come through our state, and expect that the tour's efforts, and those
of our "Bring the Troops Home Now" referendum will support
one another," said Jeff Peterson, coordinator of the referendum
effort.
Local coalitions are organizing throughout the
state to get the referendum on April 4th Wisconsin ballots: Should the
United States begin an immediate withdrawal of its troops from Iraq,
beginning with the National Guard and Reserves? Petition circulators
will be gathering signatures this fall to accomplish this goal.
"Our troops are needed at home," said
Jill Bussiere, Co-Chair of the Wisconsin Green Party. "We hope
our mutual efforts to begin an immediate withdrawal are successful, so
that our National Guard troops will be available for natural disasters
such as Katrina. There are 12 or so tropical storms predicted along
the Atlantic this hurricane season. Iraq would benefit from the
withdrawal of the U.S. military, and so would the United States."
The following individuals will appear at the
Madison rally, press conference, and at area places of worship:
Gold Star Families for Peace members:
* Karen Meredith of Mountain View, CA, whose son,
1st Lt Kenneth Ballard, fourth generation Army, was killed in action
in Najaf, Iraq on May 30, 2004.
* Al Zappala of Philadelphia, PA, whose son Sgt. Sherwood Baker was
the first Pennsylvania National Guardsman to die in combat since World
War II. He was killed in Baghdad on April 26, 2004.
Military Families Speak Out members:
* Stacy Bannerman of Kent, WA, whose husband in
the Washington National Guard served an extended tour of duty in Iraq.
A "stop loss" order forced him to serve in Iraq eight months
past his 20-year commitment, which ended in June 2004.
* Sheri Glover of Houston, TX, whose 19 year old daughter who has
completed Active Duty Service in the US Army and is currently in the
Individual Ready Reserve and eligible for call back. Her son-in-law
serves in the Army and is currently serving in Iraq. Sherry is active
in Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary and holds the position of
junior vice-commander of unit 9 in Houston.
* Tammara Rosenleaf of Belton, TX, whose husband serves in the Army,
stationed at Ft. Hood, and will be deploying to Iraq this fall.
Iraq Veterans Against the War members:
* Cody Camacho of Chicago, IL, served as Army
specialist for four years. He was deployed to Iraq from March 2003 to
March, 2004, and was honorably discharged in October, 2004.
MORE INFORMATION:
The Bring Them Home Now Tour website is located
at:
<http://www.bringthemhomenowtour.org/>
Camp Casey Caravan Bring Them Home Now Tour cosponsors include:
- Gold Star Families for Peace
<http://GFSP.org/>
- Military Families Speak Out
<http://www.MFSO.org/>
- Iraq Veterans Against the War
<http://www.IVAW.net/>
- Veterans for Peace
<http://www.veteransforpeace.org/>
- Madison Area Peace Coalition
<http://www.MadPeace.org>
- Bring Joe Home! Campaign
<http://www.BringJoeHome.US>
- Wisconsin Bring Our Troops Home Now Referendum Campaign
<http://www.wisconsingreenparty.org/iraqreferendum/>
- Dane County Bring Our Troops Home Now Referendum Coalition
608.250.9240
