[act-ma] 02/18 12 noon - Brown Bag Lunch Vigil: Healthcare Not Warfare

[Cole Harrison]

*Brown Bag Lunch Vigil: Healthcare Not Warfare*
*
*
*When:* Thursday, February 18, 2010, 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm
*Where: *Downstairs from Sen. John Kerry's office • One Bowdoin Square •
Boston

[image: Healthcare Not
Warfare]<http://pdamerica.org/articles/misc/2009-11-13-12-49-50-misc.php>

We join a nationwide series of Brown Bag Lunch
Vigils<http://pdamerica.org/articles/misc/2009-11-13-12-49-50-misc.php>
on
the theme, "Healthcare Not Warfare",  sponsored by Progressive Democrats of
America.   We will carry signs "Stop the Afghanistan War" and present
petitions to Sen. Kerry's staff.   We plan to continue this vigil every
month.

Since President Obama announced Dec. 1 that he will escalate the Afghanistan
war by sending 30,000 additional troops, the disastrous failure of the
Administration's war policy is becoming more apparent.

Afghanistan cannot be subdued by force. The war is causing rising civilian
casualties and Afghan resentment of foreign forces.  2009 was the worst year
since 2001 for Afghan
children<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=3pt5VjgpUIiqiXJ3gC%2BJQ76kSanqZgj2>,
and NATO forces killed civilians in multiple recent incidents.  The UN
reported<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=9RLtk3QDNFe58T8dqOzsUb6kSanqZgj2>
that
2,412 civilians were killed in Afghanistan in 2009, a 14% increase over
2008.

Opposition to Obama's war is stirring in Congress.   Rep. Dennis Kucinich
(D-OH) plans to introduce a privileged resolution repealing Congressional
authorization for the war.  Rep.  Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Sen. Russ Feingold
(D-WI) will offer a bill to require an exit strategy.   And Rep. Barbara
Lee's (D-CA) HR.3699 withholds funds to pay for any increased troop levels.
 *We call on Sen. Kerry *to join these voices and oppose war funding.

At a time when millions of Americans are jobless and cities and towns across
the country are slashing budgets for basic services, we urgently need to
challenge the Administration's budgetary priorities.  *Starve the war, not
the nation!  *Across the country students, teachers, women, the disabled,
hospital and healthcare workers, the homeless, domestic workers, the
unemployed, seniors and many others are protesting deep budget cuts to
essential programs.

It's time to join our efforts for a just economy with our call for peace and
to tell Congress we can't afford war anymore.  Join us in a monthly Brown
Bag Lunch Vigil
(BBLV)<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=GMrI3nrGh6wEwl4dHNc%2Bxr6kSanqZgj2>
at
congressional offices, starting with Sen. Kerry's office.

Sponsored by UJP Afghanistan Task Force, Progressive Democrats of America,
and Veterans for Peace/Smedley Butler Brigade.    Email us at
ujpcoalition at gmail.com.

*Register to attend  <http://justicewithpeace.org/bblv-register>at
http://justicewithpeace.org/bblv-register.*
-- 
"There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent
people."
— Howard Zinn

Cole Harrison
rozziecole at gmail.com
617-466-9274
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