Texans for Peace- March Events for 3rd Anniversary of Iraq War

March events and activities around Texas

March 18-19 marks the 3rd anniversary of the start of the current war in Iraq. During the past three years more than 50,000 people have been killed – 2,300 of them American – and over $500 Billion has been spent on this war. Texans everywhere are uniting in efforts to put a stop to the war. Read more below:

1. Texas End the War in Iraq marches and events for March
2. Texas Freedom, spiritual progressives, Rabbi Lerner, in Austin
3. Statewide Petition Drive to end the war
4. Update on CPT hostages held in Iraq
5. Vets March from Mobile to New Orleans
6. March to Redeem the Soul of America
7. Volunteers needed to help Texans for Peace


1. Texas End the War in Iraq marches and events for March

AMARILLO – Thurs. March 16, 4:30 pm – Vigil at the Washington Street Bridge over I-40. Bring your signs

AUSTIN – Sat. March 18, 12:00 noon – March, Rally, and Music. March begins from the Federal Building (8th & San Jacinto) and continues to City Hall. Rally with speakers include Diane Wilson (activist, founder of Code Pink, Author of 'Unreasonable Woman') and Rev. Peter Johnson (civil rights activist). Musicians will include Guy Forsyth, Carolyn Wonderland and Steve Brooks. Bring and instrument and your voice! http://www.austinagainstwar.org

BEAUMONT – Sun. March 19, 7:30 pm – Candlelight Vigil and Speakers, Jefferson Co. Courthouse

DALLAS – Sun. March 19, 2:00 pm – Rally and March, St. Paul United Methodist Church, 1816 Routh St. Dallas http://www.meetwithcongress.com/

DENTON – Sat. March 18, 11:00 am – March and Rally, Courthouse Square. http://www.peaceactiondenton.org

EL PASO – Sat. March 18, 1-2:30 pm – Rally, San Jacinto Plaza http://www.epscene.com/epsrdp.html

HOUSTON – Mon. March 20, 7 pm, Houston activists, artists and members of the peace and justice community will participate in a world-wide reading of Simon Levy's play, "What I Heard about Iraq: A Cry for Five Voices" First Unitarian Universalist Church, 5200 Fannin

MCALLEN – Sat. March 19, TBA

2. Texas Freedom, spiritual progressives, Rabbi Lerner, in Austin

Rabbi Michael Lerner, author of The Left Hand of God: Taking Back Our Country from the Religious
Right, will be hosted in Austin by the Texas Freedom Network http://www.tfn.org/ and spiritual progressives. Monday, March 20, 7 pm Rabbi Lerner will be BookPeople for a book signing. On Tuesday, March 21, 7 pm, he will give an evening lecture at Congregation Beth Israel (3901 Shoal Creek Blvd).

3. Statewide Petition Drive to end the war

Volunteers should be receiving packets this week for the door-to-door statewide Petition Drive to End the War in Iraq. If you have volunteered, but have not yet received a packet, contact us. If your town doesn't yet have a petition drive leader, please sign up today. To volunteer or learn more about the petition visit the Texans for Peace website: http://www.texansforpeace.org/Emergency.htm

4. Update on CPT hostages held in Iraq

A new video was released on Al-Jazeera today, dated Feb. 28, showing members of the Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) who have been held for 100 days in Iraq. We were heartened to see three members – Jim Loney, Harmeet Sooden, and Norman Kember alive in the video. People around the world continue to pray for the safe release of all those held against their will. http://cpt.org/iraq/response/06-07-03statement.htm

5. Vets March from Mobile to New Orleans

Veterans For Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Military Families Speak Out, and Gold Star Families for Peace, at the call of the Mobile Veterans For Peace Chapter #130, will conduct a march between Mobile, AL, and New Orleans, LA, from March 14-19, 2006 http://www.vetgulfmarch.org/ A bus going to this march will be coming through Austin. On Friday, 10 March, The Yellow Rose will be parked in front of the State Capitol as part of a vigil 5-6 pm. On Sunday, 12 March, VFP-Austin will host the drivers and crews going to N.O. at McCord Hall, Austin Presbyterian Seminary, 100 East 27th http://www.vfpaustin.org/

6. March to Redeem the Soul of America

From April 1 to April 14, Texas will be home for a national event - the March to Redeem the Soul of America. http://www.marchtoredeem.org/ Inspired by the lives of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, this march will lift up the Iraq War, official misconduct and oil profiteering for consideration and redemption by the American people and people around the world. The march, which will start in Irving, Texas will carry the message of immediate withdrawal from Iraq reinforced by the ExxonMobil War Boycott directly into the heartland of Texas to the Bush Ranch in Crawford. Cindy Sheehan will join us on this march and at the extended events planned for the Third Anniversary of the Crawford Peace House on Easter Weekend, April 14-16. Cindy's son, Casey, was killed two years ago on April 4 and was returned home on Palm Sunday. Sponsors include the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the NAACP, Peace Action Texas, and Texans for Peace

7. Volunteers needed to help Texans for Peace

Help! We need volunteers to help out with tabling (petitions and t-shirts) at some of these events. Let us know if you are planning to attend an event and would be willing sit at a table or walk through the crowd gathering petitions.

Charlie Jackson
Texans for Peace
charliej@texansforpeace.org

http://www.texansforpeace.org

A coalition of antiwar and peace and justice groups, under the aegis of
Austin Against War, presents "The Million Musician March for Peace" in
memoriam for the third anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, Saturday, March
18th, starting at 11:30 AM at the Federal Building Plaza. Scores of
musicians from local bands and groups will participate, together with noted
special guests from the SXSW Festival. All citizens are asked to join in,
bringing an instrument if they have one, in order to become a very special
"instrument of peace."

VERY SPECIAL speakers: The Rev. Peter Johnson, colleague of Martin Luther
King Jr., and an amazing civil rights leader in his own right, and Diane
Wilson environmentalist/author ("An Unreasonable Woman") and co-founder of
Code Pink. Two different generations of leadership in the progressive
community join together to inspire us.

The march will wind through downtown, stepping off at noon, to City Hall
Plaza, where the program will be mounted. Don't miss this important event.
Candidates and their supporters are asked to show up and be visible!

Texans for Peace