CALL TO ACTION

March 19, 2008: the 5th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, the beginning of the 6th year of war and occupation, the 6th year of senseless death and massive destruction.

2008 is a critical year in the efforts to bring an end to the war and occupation in Iraq. This is the year the anti-war movement must up the ante, pull out all of the stops and build so much pressure that the war will finally be brought to an end.

United for Peace and Justice is calling for and supporting a set of activities on and around the 5th anniversary that will manifest the intensifying opposition to the war and help strengthen our movement. We invite you to work with us to ensure the success of these actions.

• ­March 13-16, Winter Soldier: UFPJ is committed to providing major support to Iraq Veterans Against the War and its Winter Soldier hearings in Washington, DC, on Marc­h 13-16. We will help local groups plan events that directly link to and amplify the Winter Soldier hearings, where those who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as Iraqis and Afghans, will tell the nation the real story of this war.
• ­March 19, Mass Nonviolent Direct Action in Washington, DC: UFPJ has initiated the planning and organizing for what we hope will be the largest day of nonviolent direct action and civil disobedience yet against the war in Iraq. We encourage people to be in Washington, DC, on March 19th to be part of the civil disobedience, or to assist in support work. We are working to have all 50 states represented in this massive action.
• March 19, Local Actions Throughout the Country: We encourage those who are not able to make it to Washington on March 19 to organize local actions. These actions may vary in location or character, but they will all be tied to the protest in Washington and all sending a message to the policy makers: It is time to end this war and occupation!

­Help us make the 5th anniversary the last anniversary of this war!­

­Join our efforts to build the strongest actions in March — actions that will not only mark the anniversary but will also help propel our movement into the critically important work that must be done throughout the year.

Click here for info about more 5th anniversary actions.

My good friend Joshua Kahn Russell turned me on to an AMAZING book by Malcolm Gladwell called “The Tipping Point“. Apparently I missed this one when it came out. Wish I hadn’t, but glad I read it now! It’s one of the best books I’ve read in years.

After I read it, I realized that a lot of my not-so-progressive friends and business student acquaintances love the book. If you are a progressive, read it with an eye towards seeing the basic concepts and how powerful they are - not with the expectation that you will agree with everything Gladwell says about this or that issue. The underlying concepts are groundbreaking and, dare I say, revolutionary.

You can read excepts from the book and what Gladwell has to say about the book here. I’ll definitely be reflecting on and referencing this book a lot in the future. Its definitely one to read a few times! The endnotes are even amazing!