Hope to see you in Pittsburgh this weekend for this conference. Here’s latest revision of a proposal I’ll present:
Action Proposal
Organize a mass protest march and civil resistance against war funding at House side of Capitol Hill on the 8th anniversary of invading Afghanistan, on Wednesday, October 7th — or alternatively on Monday, October 5th, to be closer to a weekend. Such an action can be combined with local district and state actions, and can include a protest at the White House or other appropriate target. But the House of Representatives is where we probably have the greatest chance of ending these wars. If we cut off the funding there, the Senate cannot provide it. We can influence House members with activities in districts, online, in the media, and on Capitol Hill. But not on a weekend when they aren’t there. We need to be present on a weekday and lobby them before and after we march. There was an action earlier this year on Capitol Hill aimed at cleaning up the local power plant and raising the demand for action on the climate. While that struggle is far from over, the march and protest suggested a useful approach. A large number of people, including young people, were organized to march and to risk arrest. But people were invited to march without risking arrest, thus boosting the crowd size and reducing the chances of anyone being arrested. This action was held on a weekday with Congress in session, and marched adjacent to the House office buildings. An action like this one on the eighth anniversary of the invasion of Afghanistan, on Wednesday, October 7th (or Monday, October 5th), could send a powerful message of opposition to wars. Combined, of course, with lobby meetings and in-district actions. While such an action would be open to those willing to risk arrest and those not willing to do so, it would indeed fail to include those unable to participate on a Wednesday or Monday (except by making phone calls and holding in-district events). However, it WOULD include the people we intend to influence but which the corporate media cannot be counted to inform of our doings over a weekend. Some members of Congress might even JOIN us.