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News :: Peace |
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Group Meets With Rep. Johnson To Protest Bush's Rush To War |
Current rating: 0 |
by Rev. T-Monk-E
Email: jmierek (nospam) msn.com (verified) |
21 Jan 2003
Modified: 01:35:10 PM |
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Today at 12:30, twenty constituents of Rep. Timothy Johnson's Congressional district met with one of Rep. Johnson's assistant to protest pResident Bush's rush to war and to ask Rep. Johnson to sign a congressional letter urging Bush to "let the U.N. inspectors do their job." |
The group was a diverse one, comprised of professors, mothers, veterans, professionals, philosophers, and even children. We represented the 649 area constituents who signed a petition requesting Rep. Johnson's support in protesting Bush's threats of a unilateral, "pre-emptive strike."
The local news media were present, in the form of a News-Gazette photographer and a cameraman with channel 3, WCIA. Several of the members of the group spoke about their concerns with the cameraman. Whether this will make the evening new is anybody's guess.
That this event was newsworthy is without question. 12,000 Illinois citiznes, and a total of over 250,000 Americans have signed the petition demanding that Bush "let the inspectors do their job." Today, at 12:30, MoveOn.org facilitated over 400 meetings with Congresspeople nationwide. Polls give further proof that this is a war that Americans simply do not want---over 60% feel that the U.N. can and should be allowed to take care of Saddam Hussein through legal and non-violent channels.
Johnson's secretary asked us if we would like to receive a response from the Congressman, and when the answer was a resounding "yes," she asked what form the response should take. A World War II veteran echoed all of our thoughts when he said the acceptable response would be for Johnson "to sign the letter to Bush."
Here are a few of the things our fellow constituents had to say to Johnson and Bush:
"War is not a means of achieving peace. We can achieve more by acting in concert with the UN and responding in politically rational ways." - Urbana resident
"If a member of the UN Security Council doesn't respect its authority, why will any other nation? We must work in conjnction with the UN." - Champaign resident
"Wake up. Please listen to Jimmy Carter and listen to your religion: "Thous shalt not kill." I'm still looking for the loophole that gives permission to do the killing---if you find it, let me know." - Champaign resident
"Don't force us into YOUR war. The truth is you want to make OIL companies and YOU wealthier. Look out for the American people via the economy, not for your own interests!" - Mahomet resident
"Please Mr. Bush, concentrate on our problems here at home. Would you be so quick to rush to wr if you had children in the armed forces?" - Bloomington resident
"Please remember that these are human lives that would be sacrificed---theirs and ours---and the terrible price that they and their loved ones would pay. We lost a son in the Marines and the terrible loss is indescribable. Please, please use diplomacy and common sense rather than human flesh." - Champaign resident
My favorite comment had to be this argument given against war with Iraq---We should not go to war, "mainly because Saddam Hussein doesn't have weapons aimed at us or at any other country." This comment came from a constituent who could not have been older than eight or nine.
Looks like the Emperor still has no clothes.
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See also:
http://www.moveon.org
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Re: Group Meets With Rep. Johnson To Protest Bush's Rush To War |
by pm
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
22 Jan 2003
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Last year's meeting...
http://www.ucimc.org/newswire/display_any/2142 |
