As the so-called Israel-Palestine "peace process" stumbles on, with no progress in sight, it is clear that Noam Chomsky had it right when he wrote that the fate of Palestine is in the hands of us activists. We have been waiting 43 years for governments to do something about the occupation of Palestine. We cannot wait any longer.
Here's what you can do:
Boycott products made by companies that support or profit from the Israeli occupation:
Boycotts, divestment and sanctions (BDS) were widely used to help bring down the apartheid system of government in South Africa. Activists around the world are now using BDS as a tool to do the same for the "matrix of control" that is the Israeli version of apartheid, a system affecting nearly 2 million Palestinians.
A region-wide BDS group has selected four products as top boycott targets for the DC metro area: Ahava beauty products; Tribe hummus; Sabra snacks and other food items; and Jordan River and King Solomon dates.
Download the flyer explaining why you should refuse to buy these products - it's perfect for distributing to friends and family. The flyer includes a form letter that you can give to the mangers of stores carrying these items, asking that the items be removed from shelves.
We also invite you to join us in picketing the Ulta store in Silver Spring, which carries Ahava products, on Saturday, Nov. 13, and DC Trader Joe's, which carries other Israeli settlement products, on Saturday, Nov. 20. Signs and handouts will be provided at both events. See the calendar for details.
Sign These Petitions:
- Ask the Obama administration to stop delivery of Caterpillar D9 bulldozers to the Israeli military for home demolitions and construction of the apartheid wall.
- Ask TIAA-CREF, one of the largest financial services in the United States, to divest from Caterpillar and other companies that profit from the occupation.
Help mobilize others:
Anarchists Against the Wall, an Israeli peace group that protests the occupation alongside Palestinians, is on a U.S. tour, and one of its leaders (Joseph Dana, a University of Maryland graduate, now living in Jerusalem) will be speaking in DC and Maryland Nov. 7 and 8. Bring your friends to what will be a very interesting evening! Details in the calendar. We also hope that you will refer your friends to books and articles listed on our website.
Get involved in the International Solidarity Movement:
Peace Action Montgomery member Pam Bailey and Keren Batiyov have started a regional chapter of ISM to support Palestinians in nonviolent resistance to the occupation. There are many ways you can help. Contact Pam to see what you can do.
Donate to support a U.S. boat to Gaza:
It will sail in early 2011. Check it out.
Please choose one or several of these ways to work for a just peace in Palestine!
In peace,
Jean, Pat, Pam, Alex, Dave, Nik, Steve, Tim, Bahram, Karen, Melinda, Fran, Josh, Mike, Shelley
P.S. No--we didn't forget the election! But we thought you had probably heard enough about it already and didn't need to hear from us about it, too!!
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Today's Quote
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"This brings me to a second point - the nature of the peace that we seek. For peace is not merely the absence of visible conflict. Only a just peace based upon the inherent rights and dignity of every individual can truly be lasting."
Barack Obama
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 Calendar | 
Thurs, Nov. 4: 7 p.m., Peace Action Montgomery meeting, 9510 Hale St., Forest Glen. Let us know if you need a ride.*
Thurs., Nov. 4: 7:30 p.m. "Do You Know How Big the Military Budget Is (and What to do About it)?" St. Francis of Assisi Church, 6701 Muncaster Mill Rd., Derwood. Presented by Pax Christi.
Sun., Nov. 7: 8 p.m., Anarchists Against the Wall, with filmmaker Joseph Dana. Busboys and Poets, 5th and K St., D.C. For more info, contact Pam or Keren.
Mon., Nov. 8: 5:30 p.m., Anarchists Against the Wall, with filmmaker Joseph Dana. UMD-College Park, Benjamin Banneker Room A, Stamp Student Union.
Thurs., Nov. 11: Truth Commission on Conscience in War. Veteran testimonies, followed by interfaith prayer service. National City Christian Church, 5 Thomas Circle, DC., 5-9 p.m. Cosponsored by Peace Action Montgomery.*
Fri., Nov. 12: Teach-in on Selective Conscientious Objection. National City Christian Church, 5 Thomas Circle, DC, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Register here. Suggested donation $25, includes continental breakfast and lunch. Organized by Truth Commission on Conscience in War, cosponsored by Peace Action Montgomery.*
Sat., Nov. 13: Ahava boycott demonstration, Ulta store, 914 Ellsworth Dr., Silver Spring. Organized by Sabeel. 10 a.m. - noon. This is a protest of products made in illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Signs provided. For more information, contact Paul.*
Sat., Nov. 13: Sandy Spring Friends Meeting Community Yard Sale to benefit Lee Stern Peace Awards project. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. 17715 Meeting House Road, Sandy Spring.
Thurs., Nov. 18: 7 p.m., Joint Priorities Hearing, Stella Werner Council Office Building, 3rd floor hearing room, 100 Maryland Ave., Rockville. The Montgomery County delegation to the Maryland General Assembly will hear from citizens on issues of importance to them. Peace Action Montgomery members will testify. Open to the public--come if you can.*
Sat., Nov. 20: Picket Trader Joe's, 1101 25th St., NW, DC, near Foggy Bottom Metro, from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. This is a protest of products made in illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Signs provided. For more information, contact Pam.
Every Saturday: Join the Olney Peace Witness, corner of Rt. 108 and Georgia Ave., 10:30-11:30 a.m.*
Every Friday: Vigil at Walter Reed, in the open plaza between Dahlia and Elder streets, 7 to 9 p.m., come for any amount of time during that period.*
*Events that Peace Action Montgomery has discussed and formally endorsed.
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What's REALLY Insane?
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The Jon Stewart/Stephen Colbert rally on the mall on Saturday was a little weird! We went, with our message of what is definitely insane: trillions for war and no money for jobs at home.
We're working to end the insanity, with our new campaign to Fund Our Communities, Bring the War Dollars Home. Our goal is to stop endless wars and huge military budgets and instead, to use our money for constructive purposes at home.
We are very excited to announce some new coalition groups for this campaign:
- CASA de Maryland
- Gray Panthers of Metro Washington
- Progressive Democrats of America/Maryland
- Columbia United Christian Church, Peace and Justice Committee
Please contact us about having your community group or religious congregation join the coalition!
Together, we can create a movement to end U.S. militarism and, in the process, save our own country.
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TO DO THIS WEEKBoycott products made by companies that profit from the Israeli occupation. Select other ways (at left) that you can work to end the occupation of Palestine.
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Ask your community group or religious congregation to endorse the Fund Our Communities campaign. Email us for more information.
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| Quick Links | Watch this wonderful and hilarious flashdance for BDS, from Philadelphia!
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It's Jobs or Wars, but Not Both: David Swanson shows that if we think war spending creates a strong economy--we are totally wrong! Read his analysis and have the facts in hand.
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Curious as to why there has been nothing--nothing--in this election about the wars? Read this perceptive article!
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We had hoped that the shame of Guantanamo would end with the Obama administration. But Guantanamo remains open, and the administration argues for and wins a case to keep Bagram in Afghanistan a shameful, black hole.
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| The Big WIKILEAKS Yawn |
From Wikileaks, we now know that the U.S. was complicit in Iraqi torture, that many more civilians died than we knew about, that the U.S. lied when it said that it didn't count civilian deaths--and much, much more about this horrendous war.
But from media coverage, you'd think the biggest trove of documents on a war ever released was a non-event and that none of this information is important.
Please support Bradley Manning, accused of leaking the documents.
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Afghanistan
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A propaganda campaign this week falsely claimed serious discussions with the Taliban.
Now "sources" claim that the object of the disinformation was to confuse the Taliban; but there are no signs that the Taliban was fooled.
Perhaps the disinformation was actually aimed at the US, with the goal of getting a good grade from Obama's December review of the war.
Afghanistan's election commission has once again postponed announcing the results of the election, as evidence of fraud and corruption continues to grow; the US auditor has been churing out reports about corruption and money mismanagement in US development projects; and there is growing skepticism that the recent US sweeps through the Kandahar region have been militarily effective.
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| Those Who Died Sept. 26-Oct. 23 |
In Iraq:
Spc Marc Whisenant 23 Holly Hill FL
Pvt Dylan Reid 24 Springfield MO 230 Iraqis
In Afghanistan:
Sgt Mark Simpson 40 Peoria IL
Cpl Matthew Thomas 24 Wales
Sgt Kazimierz Kasprzak 32 Poland
Cpl Ralph Fabbri 20 Gallitzin PA
Air Mark Forester 29 Tuscaloosa AL
Sgt Calvin Harrison 31 San Antonio TX
Sgt Justin Officer 26 Wichita KS
Cpl Timothy Jackson 22 Corbin KY
Col Ramaz Gogiashvili Georgia
Sgt Davit Tsetskhladze Georgia
Cpl Giorgi Kolkhitashvili Georgia
Cpl Nuzzar Kalandadze Georgia
Spc Luther Rabon Jr 32 Lexington SC
Sgt Willie Harley Jr 48 Aiken SC
Sgt Anthony Matteoni 22 Union City MI
Sgt Lance Vogeler 29 Frederick MD
Sgt Marius Sfeches 25 Romania
Pvt Christian Filip Petru 26 Romania
Pvt Surag Gurung 22 Gorkha Nepal
Spc Donald Morrison 23 Cincinnati OH
Sgt Brian Pedro 27 Rosamond CA
Pvt Cody Board 19 McKinney TX
Sgt Karl Campbell 34 Chiefland FL
Spc Joseph Prentler 20 Fenwick MI
Pvt Ryane Clark 22 New London MN
Arm Daniel Johnson 23 Schiller Park IL
Cpl Scott Lynch 22 Greenwood Lake NY
Cpl Stephen Sokalosky 21 Cordele GA
Cpl Edwin Gonzalez 22 No Miami Beach FL
Cpl John Sparks 23 Chicago IL
Sgt Peter Rayner 34 England
Sgt Francesco Vannozzi 26 Italy
Sgt Gianmarco Manca 32 Italy
Cpl Marco Pedone 23 Italy
Cpl Sebatian Ville 27 Italy
Sgt Florian Pauli 26 Germany
Pvt David Hess 25 Ruskin FL
Sgt David Weigle 29 Philadelphia PA
Sgt Frank Zaehringer III 23 Reno NV
Spc Matthew Powell 20 Slidell LA
Cpl Ramon Johnson 22 Midland GA
Pvt Jordan Byrd 19 Grantsville UT
Pvt Victor Dew 20 Granite Bay CA
Cpl Joseph Rodewald 21 Albany OR
Cpl Phillip Vinnedge 19 Saint Charles MO
Cpl Justin Cain 22 Manitowoc WI
Sgt Eric Newman 30 Waynesboro MS
Cpl Irvin Ceniceros 21 Clarksville AR
Cpl Joseph Lopez 26 Rosamond CA
Pvt Tramaine Billingsley 20 Portsmouth VA
Spc Rafael Martinez Jr 36 Spring Valley CA
Sgt Carlos Benitez 24 Carrollton TX
Cpl Alec Catherwood 19 Byron IL
Sgt Adam Szada Borzyszkowkski 28 Poland
Cpl James Boelk 24 Oceanside CA
ICS Thibault Miloche 39 France
Sgt Ian Tawney 25 Dallas OR
Sgt Kenneth Wallin 22 Sweden
Cpl Jorge Villareal 22 San Antonio TX
Sgt Joshua Cullins 28 Simi Valley CA
Cpl Francisco Jackson 24 Elizabeth NJ
Cpl David Barnsdale 24 England
Spc Gerald Jenkins 19 Circleville OH
Sgt Kenneth McAninch 28 Logansport IN
Spc Ronnie Pallares 19 Rancho Cucamonga CA
Cpl Mikkel Jorgensen 21 Denmark
592+ Afghans and Pakistanis
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