[act-ma] 11/5: STANDOUT Against Cluster Bombs!

[mark r. wolff]

Stand Out Against Cluster Bombs!
Harvard Square Holyoke Center
Monday, November 5
5:00 - 6:30 pm

In solidarity with the
November 5: Global Day of Action Against Cluster Bombs
The Middle East Crisis Coalition (MECC), and The US Campaign to End the
Israeli Occupation is joining the Friends Committee on National
Legislation, Amnesty International, and other organizations on Monday,
November 5 in a global day of action against cluster bombs.  Take action
by calling your Members of Congress and urging them to cosponsor the
Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act (S.594/H.R.1755).

Sponsored by Middle East Crisis Coalition MECC, along with groups working
to end use of cluster munitions, such as,
 Adopt A Minefield, American Friends Service Committee, UNA-USA, American
Task Force for Lebanon, Amnesty International USA, Just Foreign Policy,
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, Maine Campaign to Ban Cluster
Bombs, Massachusetts Peace Action, Mennonite Central Committee
(Washington Office), Oregon Peace Works, Peace Action New York, Peace
Action West, United for Peace and Justice, U.S. Campaign to End the
Israeli Occupation, U.S. Fund for UNICEF, Veterans for Peace, WAND

During its war on Lebanon last summer, Israel dropped 130,000 cluster
bombs containing 1.2 million cluster bomblets in 498 locations in villages
throughout the south of the country.   Unexploded cluster bomblets
subsequently have injured and killed civilians.

Call your Senators on November 5, the Global Day of Action on Cluster Bombs

When countries gather in early December to continue negotiating a global
cluster bomb ban treaty, the U.S. will be conspicuously absent. The U.S.
should not isolate itself on yet another issue of global concern. Congress
needs to pass the Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act (S. 594) next
year to bring the U.S. into line with the emerging global consensus
against the use of a weapon which overwhelmingly kills civilians. Call
your senators on November 5 and ask them to support this bill.
Who Should You Call?

    * Do you live in California or Vermont? Both your senators are already
supporting this bill, so you don't need to call them today. But you
can write to your representative and urge her or him to cosponsor the
companion bill in the House.
    * Do you live in Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Ohio,
Rhode Island, Washington, or Wisconsin? One of your senators has
already cosponsored, so please call your other senator!. Senators that
need calls arel Charles Grassley (IA), Ben Cardin (MD), John Kerry
(MA), Pete Domenici (NM), George Voinovich (OH), Jack Reed (RI), Patty
Murray (WA), or Herb Kohl (WI).
    * Do you live in any other state? You should call both of your
senators and ask them to cosponsor the bill!

How to Make Your Calls

    * Call your senators using FCNL's special toll free number: (800)
352-1897
    * This number connects you to the Capitol Switchboardand. You will
need to ask for your senator by name. Find out who your senators are.
    * Once you are directed to the office, ask to speak to the legislative
assistant who deals with military and national security issues.
    * After you call one senator's office, call back and ask for your
other senator.

Script for your Call

Please feel free to improvise and add additional information.

    * My name is [NAME], and I live in [CITY, STATE].Thanks for taking my
call.
    * I'm calling to encourage Senator [SENATOR'S NAME] to cosponsor S.
594, the Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act. Will that be
possible?
    * Thank you.

The administration’s position is that the military benefits outweigh the
civilian costs. We disagree.


Sean Sutton / MAG /
magclearsmines.org
Why Ban Cluster Bombs?

Cluster munitions pose a danger to civilians during
and after conflict. When used, they scatter over wide
swaths of land. After use, malfunctioning bomblets
become de facto landmines.

In the last 10 years, the U.S. has used cluster bombs
in civilian-populated areas of the former Yugoslavia,
Afghanistan and Iraq. The U.S. arsenal includes
nearly 1 billion bomblets.

The time to ban U.S. cluster bombs is now.
Urge your senators to ban cluster bombs.
Global Day of Action to Ban Cluster Bombs: November 5