Peace and Justice Vigil: TIME TO END THE WAR ON TERROR
Date/Time
Date(s) - 09/04/2021
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Location
Corner of Main St and Illinois Ave
Categories
The Peace Coalition of Southern Illinois will hold the Monthly Peace and Justice Vigil on Saturday, September 4, 2021, noon to 1 P.M. at the corner of Main and Illinois Ave., Carbondale. In referring to the Vietnam War, MLK, Jr. said “Wars are poor chisels for carving out peaceful tomorrows.” As the last 20 years have shown, there can be no successful “War on Terror.”
Terry Kay Rockefeller, founding member of September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows says: “The U.S. public and the world need and deserve an explanation of how 9/11 led to two wars; the deaths of over 7,000 U.S. service members, with another 30,000 lost to suicide; more than 335,000 civilians killed; an untold number of additional civilian deaths resulting from lethal drone strikes inside countries where the U.S. is not at war… and trillions of American tax dollars spent on these appalling outcomes”.
From Marjorie Cohn, Truthout we are reminded that “The “war on terror” George W. Bush launched with his “Operation Enduring Freedom” has included the torture and abuse of untold numbers people in Afghanistan, Iraq, Guantánamo and the CIA black sites. It has exacerbated right-wing terrorism in the United States and provided the pretext for the ubiquitous surveillance of Muslims and those who dissent against government policy. And whistleblowers who expose U.S. war crimes have been rewarded with prosecutions under the Espionage Act and lengthy prison sentences. We must not forget the illegality, death and destruction that the war in Afghanistan has caused over the decades, lest we repeat our lethal mistakes.”
Also, on September 21, the Peace Coalition and others will host a Virtual Margie Parker Teach-In for Peace with a webinar presented by History Professor Peter Kuznick, founder and Director of the Nuclear Studies Institute at American University. His topic will be “The Nuclear Insanity Is Worse than You Thought and Always Has Been.” This virtual event is free, but registration is required. Program registration is available at carbondalepubliclibrary.org/register .
The September vigil will follow masking and physical distancing guidelines as updated by the state. Please wear a mask. Appropriate signs will be provided, but all are invited to bring their own. The monthly meeting will be held on ZOOM on September 15, 6pm. For information about joining, contact georgeannhartzog@gmail.com.