THOUSANDS EXPECTED IN PHILADELPHIA ON JULY 4TH TO DEMAND AN END TO U.S. WARS AT HOME AND ABROAD
BUSH DECLINES INVITATION TO ATTEND THE OPENING OF THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER IN PHILADELPHIA ON JULY 4TH
Thousands of people are expected to attend a demonstration in Philadelphia on July 4th to say No to U.S. Wars at Home and Abroad; No to Colonialism and Empire; End the Occupation of Iraq; No to Racism, Attacks on Civil Rights and Immigrants, the USA Patriot Act and the Shredding of the Constitution; and to Call for Funding of Social Programs - not the Pentagon's War Machine. The demonstration has been planned to coincide with the opening of the National Constitution Center, which has been built on the graves of enslaved Africans.
Demonstrators will begin gathering at N. 7th and Race Sts., in Franklin Square, Philadelphia at 8:00am with a rally scheduled for 10:am and a march at 12:00 pm followed by a closing rally. The A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition will be providing transportation from the Boston area.
George W. Bush was expected to attend but has apparently decided that the only way to avoid a massive protest is to stay within the protective confines of a U.S. military base. According to a statement issued by the July 4 Mobilization, the Philadelphia coalition who initiated this demonstration, “A military base is probably the only place Bush thinks he can go to avoid massive protest. But what he has to know is that veterans and military families are participating in the protests here, joining thousands of others in opposition to his plans for endless war, occupation, and other policies at home and abroad.”
Bush lied about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and continues to lie when he claims the war is over, as more troops are being sent to crush Iraqi resistance to U.S. occupation. The people of Iraq are without electricity, drinkable water, or medical care as unexploded cluster bombs, a cholera epidemic, and bullets fired by U.S. troops claim more lives every day. The U.S. continues to discuss plans for regime change, either through invasions, economic pressure or stepped up covert operations, against all those who attempt to retain nominal sovereignty over their own land and natural resources. Syria, southern Lebanon, Palestine, North Korea, Cuba, Zimbabwe, Iran, Venezuela, Colombia, Haiti and other countries are slated for aggression. Yet the Pentagon's $400 billion budget is over 30 times the combined military spending of all the countries targeted in Bush's endless war plans.
Bush is an unelected president who stole the election by denying the Black vote in Florida. His administration is responsible for a wholesale assault on the Bill of Rights through the passage of the USA Patriot Act and institutionalized racial profiling. Imprisonment is at an all time high with over 2.2 million incarcerated and over 3,000 on death row. Single mothers of color are the fastest growing prison population. Thousands of immigrants, even U.S. citizens, have been detained without charges or trial. Due process continues to be denied for political prisoners Mumia Abu-Jamal, Leonard Peltier, the Cuban 5 and others. Racism is on the rise; Affirmative Action is under attack; restitution for slavery, the slaughter of indigenous people, and colonial occupation has not happened; and the corporate media gives right-wing politicians carte blanche to attack the rights of workers, people of color, women and lesbian, gay, bi, and trans people.
The Executive Branch under Bush has taken on near dictatorial powers — with its decisions rubber-stamped by Congress and the Supreme Court. The Bush wars for US corporate interests require a massive transfer of wealth directly from social programs. The administration hands out lucrative contracts to Bechtel, Halliburton, and Exxon, and it has engineered over $2 trillion in tax giveaways that primarily benefit the very rich. But the majority in the U.S face record high unemployment; cuts in spending for public transportation, housing, welfare, education, child care, veterans and HIV/AIDS benefits; and the closing of hospitals, libraries, drug rehab centers and more, as states are forced to balance their budgets because Washington won't. The income gap is widening. According to the Department of Labor, in the 1980's, income for the average CEO was 40 times that of the average worker. Today the difference is 531 times. Women earn 73% of what men earn—63% for Black women and 53% for Latina women—while women' caring work remains unvalued and unwaged.
Over the past several months millions of people from all walks of life have come together in this country and around the world in an unprecedented outpouring against war and for social justice. It is the responsibility of the people of this country to keep the pressure on and show that we will not stand idly by while this government pursues it’s goal of global empire at the expense of poor, working and oppressed peoples at home and abroad. On July 4th the eyes of the world will be focused on Philadelphia!
Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (A.N.S.W.E.R.) both locally and nationally are supporting the call from the July 4th Mobilization for a national protest in Philadelphia on Friday July 4th to Stop U.S. Wars at Home and Abroad.
The National Constitution Center, a museum dedicated to the history of the U.S. Constitution in a building constructed on the graves of enslaved Africans, invited George W. Bush, along with all living past U.S. presidents, to speak at their opening ceremonies. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor will also be on hand to receive Philadelphia's Liberty Medal. This event culminates a week of "Welcome America" festivities sponsored by oil giant Sunoco.
Since the July 4th Mobilization put out a call for a national protest, we have learned that Bush has bailed out - once again avoiding any event where he would be confronted by protests. But whether he chooses to show in person or not, Bush's policies need to be opposed, and the protest will go on as scheduled (see enclosed flyer). We need to take the NCC to task for inviting Bush to speak when his administration has violated international law and systematically engaged in a campaign of repression at home including wholesale assault on the Bill of Rights, the passage of the USA Patriot Act, and institutionalization of racial profiling.
It's becoming obvious that Bush lied about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and thousands of Iraqi people and hundreds of U.S. soldiers died as a result. He continues to lie when he says this war, which claims more lives every day, is over. Yet the U.S. Congress, which rubber stamped this illegal and criminal war of occupation, refuses to hold Bush accountable. Meanwhile, Bush discusses a new round of wars. Syria, southern Lebanon, Palestine, North Korea, Cuba, Zimbabwe, Iran, Venezuela, Colombia, Haiti and other countries are slated for aggression.
The Pentagon's $400 billion budget is over 30 times the combined military spending of all the countries targeted in Bush's endless war plans. The massive transfer of wealth to pay for war and tax breaks for the wealthy means deeper and more extensive cuts in spending for social programs on a federal level as well as in every state and municipality across the country.
Here in Pennsylvania, Governor Rendell has threatened to cut hundreds of programs that our communities need, resulting in the loss of thousands of jobs. Rendell, already notorious in Philly for his attacks on unions and for his involvement in the death sentence frame-up of political activist Mumia Abu-Jamal, is also invited to speak.
We are determined to stop the never-ending series of wars in the various forms taking place against people here and abroad. We stand with people everywhere struggling for a world which values people over profits. We stand in solidarity with people living under oppression and occupation who have nothing to celebrate on this day.
We believe there is a power capable of stopping Bush and his mad drive to war -- the united, mass mobilization of people here at home, in solidarity with people around the world -- recognized by the N.Y. Times in February as a new world "superpower". We can't predict turnout for the July 4th demonstration, but whatever our numbers, it's important to be there to show our determination to continue the struggle.
We invite you to march with A.N.S.W.E.R.'s Anti-Imperialist contingent on July 4th.
You can help make this rally possible by making a financial contribution to cover costs of printing, postage, and the costs of sound & stage for the event. Please send checks to Philadelphia ANSWER (for July 4th Mobilization), 813 S 48 St, Philadelphia, Pa 19143.
We hope you will also consider volunteering some time, either before the event or at the rally, to help with the tasks needed to make it a success.
Also please take time to complete and return the enclosed form with your ideas on what protections and rights you would like to see included in our Constitution if we had the chance to rewrite it today.
The July 4th Rally in Philadelphia marks the start of the new stage in the movement to stop Bush's wars.
In Philadelphia: To find out more about how you can get involved to support these and other A.N.S.W.E.R. activities, come to our weekly meetings on Tuesday nights, 7pm at the Calvary Church, 48th & Baltimore. The struggle continues!
International Action Center 39 West 14th Street, Room 206 New York, NY 10011 email: iacenter@action-mail.org En Espanol: iac-cai@action-mail.org web: www.iacenter.org CHECK OUT SITE www.mumia2000.org phone: 212 633-6646 fax: 212 633-2889 To make a tax-deductible donation, go to www.peoplesrightsfund.org