Less than three weeks away for the
International Days of Action, March 16-19, 2007!

The Declaration of Peace Joins National Anti-War Organizations in Calling for Nonviolent Civil Disobedience

Nationwide Nonviolent Civil Disobedience ~
March 16-19, 2007

To end funding for war in Iraq and to bring the troops home
 
For four years, people across the United States of America have voted, lobbied, vigiled, and marched to end the U.S. war in Iraq. 
Now -- as the war threatens to escalate even while a growing majority in the U.S. wants to see it end  -- the time has come to visibly increase nationwide opposition to this policy by organizing and participating in dramatic nonviolent civil disobedience in cities and towns across the United States.
At this crucial moment, the national anti-war movement is organizing an escalating campaign of bold nonviolent civil disobedience and other forms of peaceful resistance March 16-19 at Congressional offices and other sites in as many as 100 cities across the country.  These dramatic actions will respond to the growing emergency the war represents by calling on Congress: to vote NO on any funding for war in Iraq; to support the troops by bringing them home rapidly and safely; and to back a plan for Peace. 
To oppose the war, we say to Congress, means opposing all funding for it.

See resources for planning nonviolent civil disobedience:

A Call for Nonviolent Civil Disobedience: Why We Must Act

Background on Nonviolent Civil Disobedience, including Legal Issue

Find a Local Organizer
 
Finding a Trainer: The Nonviolence Training Directory

Videos on Nonviolence

Essays and Articles on Nonviolence

See the Nationwide Unifying Statement on Nonviolent Civil Disobedience.

2007 Congresional Declaration of Peace and the DOP Signers Pledge are available for your use.

450 copies of the new Congresional Declaration of Peace were handed out at the anti-war movement's largest lobbying training on January 28th in D.C.

The Congressional Declaration can easily be downloaded from the Declaration of Peace website for your lobbying efforts.

Use the 'Help Guide for Congressional Visits'

The Declaration of Peace Signers Pledge
For your local organizing, download and copy the Pledge for collecting commitments to action.

Calling All Local Organizers!

Local Organizers Conference Call

Monday, February 26, 2007
8:00 p.m. Eastern

Phone Number: 1-641-297-5600
Access Code: 12131415#

Thank you to all Local Organizers who are planning local actions, March 16-19, 2007 to defund the war in Iraq, to bring the troops home safely, and to support a comprehensive plan for Peace.

We invite you to join the regularly scheduled DOP Local Organizer Conference Call which will take place this Monday evening. These calls will be
held periodically until mid-March to share ideas, resources, and inspiration.

More than 400 people are committed to engage in Nonviolent Civil Disobedience at the White House on March 16th during the Christian Peace Witness for Iraq.

Gathering to call for an end to the U.S. war in Iraq and to make it clear that they oppose Christian support for this bloodshed, Christians from many denominations will pray for an end to the war beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 16 at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. and then take part in a candlelight procession to the White House.  Hundreds will then participate in prayerful and peaceful nonviolent civil disobedience, calling for a concrete plan to end the war.

Read more and Please consider joining us in this Declaration of Peace-endorsed event in D.C.!

The Declaration of Peace actions that took place in Washington, D.C. on September 26-27, 2006 resulted in Superior Court trial and convictions.
Many are planning appeals.

Report on trial by Max Obuszewski
Unique Trial of Peace Activists Concludes

See the Scripps Howard Wire Service story on the February 15-16 trial.
Peace activists use character, not lawyers, to argue their case
 
See photos of the D.C. actions, last September.

Mary Donnelly, a 68-year-old grandmother, is one of 13 peace activists who were arrested last Wednesday in U.S. Rep. Tom Allen's Portland office, trying to push him to take a stronger anti-war stance.
"I think this war is wrong and we've come to a crossroads in support for President Bush and in funding for the war," she said. "Without the funding, the war cannot continue. Congress has been wishy-washy."
See the complete article.

More Action Updates:

Protesters in Rhode Island Urge Rep. James Langevin to End War Funding

Clergy Speak on Iraq war: 'Enough is Enough'

Anti-war pastor sees jail from inside

Brown University students protest Iraq war at Rep. Kennedy's office

Four women arrested in Chicago Occupation Project action

Seven arrested in St. Louis occupation

See all Occupation Project actions

View more DOP Campaign Updates and News Articles at the Declaration of Peace website.

Numerous Nonviolent Civil Disobedience Actions and other forms of dramatic, Peaceful resistance are being organized in cities and towns across the U.S.A., March 16-19. These events will call on Congress to defund the war, to bring the troops home safely, and to support a comprehensive Peace process for Iraq.

To mark the fourth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq and to call for an immediate end to the U.S. occupation, a massive Die-In is planned throughout downtown San Francisco, California on Monday, March 19.  Imagine Die-Ins in cities and towns across the United States. Consider organizing a Die-In in your city between March 16-19 as part of the nationwide days of action for peace in Iraq. 

See information about the San Francisco Die-In on the Declaration of Peace website.

Also see a report on monthly Die-Ins that have been taking place since last November.

View other upcoming events at the Declaration of Peace Events Calendar.

A Die-In could be a powerful part of your plans for nonviolent actions.

Please post your events at:
http://declarationofpeace.org/add-an-event-to-the-calendar

or let us know at declarepeace@mac.com

Concerned about the Bush Administration's threats against Iran?

The Goal of The Declaration of Peace includes -- 'No so-called "preventive" or "preemptive" war against Iran or any other nation.'

See the DOP page: 'Preventing or Stopping U.S. War on Iran'

"There is a history of civil disobedience in this country. You can go back to the movement against slavery, to Thoreau's protest against the Mexican war, to the abolitionists, white and black, who violated the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and rescued slaves from the police and from their 'masters.' A long tradition in American history of people being willing to violate the law, commit civil disobedience in order to make a declaration of what is right and what is just. …That's what civil disobedience does. ...It's a way of dramatizing a principle that you want to uphold, dramatizing a grievance that you want to point to. So it has always been an important and necessary tactic in any social movement, and one that has at certain times in history been effective in arousing other people to a cause."
-- Howard Zinn, speaking to David Barsamian in Original Zinn: Conversations On History and Politics, pp. 63-64.

The Declaration of Peace is calling on members of Congress to oppose escalation, defund the war, bring the troops home safely, and support a comprehensive Peace plan. Declaration of Peace groups will take many steps to respond to the growing emergency of this increasingly destructive quagmire. As part of this, we are calling on people across the U.S. to organize peaceful civil disobedience, March 16-19, 2007.

See the full text of the Declaration of Peace Call for Nonviolent Civil Disobedience.

To prepare for action, organize a Nonviolent Action Training. Let us know if you are planning trainings, or if you need help organizing one!

Contact us at: info@declarationofpeace.org

For updates, visit: www.DeclarationofPeace.org