Peace Coalition Vigil: Denial of FREE SPEECH

Date/Time
Date(s) - 04/05/2025
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Location
Corner of Main St and Illinois Ave

Categories No Categories

MONTHLY PEACE AND JUSTICE VIGIL
INTIMIDATION, DENIAL OF FREE SPEECH & DUE PROCESS:  FIRST THEY CAME FOR…FINALLY THEY CAME FOR ME
SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 2025   NOON TO 1:00 PM
The Peace Coalition of Southern Illinois will hold the Monthly Peace and Justice Vigil on Saturday, April 5, Noon to 1 P.M. at the corner of Main and Illinois Ave., Carbondale.  On Sunday, April 6 from 2:00 -3:00 P.M. join the weekly Rally for Peace in Gaza, to call for return to the successful ceasefire, corner of Main and Illinois Ave in Carbondale.
Our communities and universities have experienced a long history of wide ranging debate and non-violent public protest from civil rights and apartheid, from Vietnam and Iraq war protesting and more.  Pro-Palestinian protests are no different and targeting students who have spoken out for peace and justice is pure intimidation.  This includes thought control efforts aimed at DEI, University independence, environmentalism, LGBTQ+ rights, museums, the legal profession, health and the rest.  Detaining students for their activism violates the first amendment and is a threat to all people of conscience.
Most egregiously, ICE has become the thought police, using questionably interpreted immigration and executive powers to snatch people off the streets, equating free speech with terrorism, and lack of legal status as criminality.  Cancelling visas on reports from social media posts or targeting by right-wing groups reminds us of the 1950’s Red Scare and blacklists.  We condemned this in the military dictatorships in Chile and Argentina; we condemn it now in Iran, Russia and China.  It must not be tolerated here.  We must protect constitutional rights for all.
Appropriate signs will be provided at the vigil, but all are invited to bring their own.  The next monthly meeting of the Peace Coalition will be held on ZOOM, Wednesday, April 16, 2025, 6pm.  For information about joining, contact georgeannhartzog@gmail.com.