[act-ma] Sign up before OCT 5th: Educate, Mobilize, and Organize! ~SOAW

[pf soto]

  "/While we continue to educate ourselves, it is just as important to 
be constantly reaching out to people who are not involved in SOA Watch 
or even activism in general/"Â  YES!!!!!

SOA Watch News & Updates 
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=I14YtPwjSj5LQt188fzo7ZPnC8%2FzSrDk>


/November 18-20: Converge on Fort Benning, Georgia/
Educate, Mobilize, and Organize
To Shut Down the SOA!

All across the US people are mobilizing their communities to travel to 
Georgia for the *annual vigil 
<http://www.soaw.org/take-action/november-vigil>* at the gates of Fort 
Benning, where the School of Americas/WHINSEC is located. We gather in 
commemoration and honoring the victims of graduates from the SOA has a 
significant role in helping to grow active resistance to militarization 
throughout the Americas. This resistance is instrumental to us all, 
particularly to communities within North America that are being targeted 
by repressive tactics that are surprisingly similar to those experienced 
by our brothers and sisters throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. 
Policies such as military check points throughout Honduras, 
militarization of our borders, identification checkpoints in the US that 
target undocumented immigrants, and other repressive tactics, all stem 
from the doctrine of instilling fear and instability throughout 
communities to benefit certain corporate and governmental interests.

    /"Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of creative
    alternatives for responding to conflict - alternatives to passive or
    aggressive responses, alternatives to violence."/

- Dorothy Thompson

It is extremely important to understand the links between militarization 
as a tool to push U.S. economic and political interests abroad, and the 
attacks on the poor and communities of color in North America. The US 
government continues to push an economic agenda that takes money from 
legitimate programs supporting the people and allocates it towards the 
militarization of the world, demonstrating that we all have a stake in 
the struggle for justice. It is our responsibility to find a path 
towards peace and justice, and to shift the consciousness of this 
country. Joining the thousands that gather in Columbus Georgia to 
participate in the 2011 November Vigil is an important step in that 
struggle.

The weekend will be comprised of many different opportunities to both 
resist militarization but also build the types of communities we want to 
see.... You can:


  * take action at the Stewart Detention Center Rally V
    <http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=IDL%2F%2FX0qldS7kP4ziozkCJPnC8%2FzSrDk>

  * attend the massive rally with speakers and musicians at the gates of
    Fort Benning, Georgia

  * educate and learn from people directly affected by militarization
    and unjust economic policies

  * participate in nonviolent direct action
    <http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=p5woVrlRkSwIDft6S4HtCJPnC8%2FzSrDk>

  * strategize and connect across race, class, religion, gender, sexual
    orientation, and issue lines

  * build and strengthen your commitment to justice by flyering and
    doing outreach around Columbus

**One week to go to submit ad and workshop forms due October 5^th !! 
Tabling requests due October 20^th 
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=KUoT28Oq3NcXb%2BiIwcaa35PnC8%2FzSrDk>**


      Mobilize!

We are inspired by the examples of resilience and strength of the people 
standing up against military repression in Honduras, neoliberal economic 
domination in Chile and the militarization of humanitarian aid in Haiti. 
Here in the US, people are also using their passion and commitment to 
closing the SOA and changing US foreign policy in many ways to help 
bring people to Georgia in November.

People are holding fundraisers, video showings, benefit concerts, 
speaking tours, and various other events. For example, /Veterans for 
Peace Twin Cities, Minnesota/ is using the documentary they produced 
about their journey to the 2010 Vigil as a fundraiser and to promote 
youth participation. All money raised from the film will go towards a 
scholarship fund to help those with limited resources to travel to Fort 
Benning. Jorge Alva-Huerto of the National Movimiento Estudiantil 
Chicano de Aztlán (MEChA) produced a short video 
<http://vimeo.com/29060048> to raise awareness of how communities of 
color are being disproportionately targeted by the School of the 
Americas and why the presence of these communities at the November Vigil 
is essential towards building our movement. SOA Watch South Florida is 
holding a protest at the headquarters of Southern Command 
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=kycj0xwwzdIqn2vTjy6ivZPnC8%2FzSrDk> 
on October 8-9 to protest US military intervention in the hemisphere.

There are also other ways to mobilize your communities through the use 
of technology to your advantage.

  * Use this video <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJv0LZbOkw0&NR=1>
    from the 2010 Vigil to promote people to come to the vigil

  * Post articles on your website or send out emails through your list
    serves

  * Use Facebook and Twitter to get the word out


      Organize!

We have a number of resources to help you plan your trip to the Vigil:

How to Get to Columbus, GA 
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=A8pl9zI4ERoXh8BI7Vy0JJPnC8%2FzSrDk> 
Accommodation in Columbus, GA 
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=jc9UQP%2FO%2FcieBmFACuTR8JPnC8%2FzSrDk> 
*

Organize a Bus! 
<http://www.soaw.org/take-action/november-vigil/travel-to-the-soa-watch-vigil/3325-organizing-a-bus-to-columbus>

Check out the Rideboard 
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=vUvoH%2FoVmZqF6b3LJEi2fYO97yulheU%2F>

Hotels and Campsites in Columbus 
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=YPCSNvdavV4hsoLe8V70nZPnC8%2FzSrDk>

*
/Be Sure to make your travel plans to include the
Rally at the Stewart Detention Center 
<http://www.soaw.org/take-action/november-vigil/240-other/3772-stewart-detention-center-vigil-2011> 
on Friday, November 18th, at 10am./


      Educate!

While we continue to educate ourselves, it is just as important to be 
constantly reaching out to people who are not involved in SOA Watch or 
even activism in general. One of the primary areas of focus for the 
vigil is education. As we are reaching out to our surrounding 
communities, we are constantly shifting consciousness and capacity that 
leads to mass mobilizing to shut down the SOA, and create a world of 
justice and dignity.

Here are some ways:

  * Pre-order "Somos Una America: Shut Down the SOA"
    <https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/727/t/10867/shop/item.jsp?storefront_KEY=777&t=&store_item_KEY=4047>
    the newest documentary produced from Latin America, and schedule a
    showing in your community at the end of October.
  * Order Broadsheets and Palm Cards
    <http://soaw.org/take-action/november-vigil/organize-your-community/3730-order-broadsheets-and-palmcards>
    to place in coffee shops, restaurants, bring to meetings and events,
    as well as pass out to strangers on the street.
  * Bring SOA Watch to your community!
    <http://soaw.org/take-action/speaking-tours>

/"I come to the SOAW Vigil not only to stand up against that specific 
institution but rather to stand up to the bigger hegemon of 'Militarism' 
- of which the School of the Americas is only one representation. Being 
part of the SOAW movement has broadened my knowledge of the issues of 
militarization and allowed me to understand that it is all around us. It 
is the culture of militarism which we have to change, and actively 
pursue a culture of peace and justice."/

--Juan Diego Castro, SOAW Canada Organizer, Kings University College in 
London, Ontario

The vigil is a great way to come together with other youth, union 
leaders, teachers, activists, people of faith, immigrants, grandmothers 
artists and others to provide a unified voice against the intrusion of 
militarism into our lives as well as to present alternatives to violence 
and oppression everywhere. We'll see you in November!

	


      Grads in the News:

*Dos Erres Massacre Conviction 
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=tukg7pG1fy8oHyQLWFFnfJPnC8%2FzSrDk>*
Four of the soldiers involved in the Dos Erres massacre were convicted 
of murder, and given a sentence of over 6000 years each.

*Otto Perez Molina 
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=QJCq3rDX8azQ3CftgN2tC5PnC8%2FzSrDk>*
Molina, charged with torture, genocide, and other war crimes, is the 
frontrunner in the ongoing presidential elections in Guatemala.

*Bolivian Generals Brought to Justice 
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=RWNK%2BrUy1QhOPp1j%2BBsE%2FpPnC8%2FzSrDk>*
Five former high-ranking military officials and two former ministers 
were convicted last month for their roles in the killings at the 
protests in El Alto, Bolivia in 2003.


      Super Committee:

The Joint Select Committee on Deficit reduction - also known as the 
super-committee - is a special committee convened to make decisions 
about what programs to cut from the federal budget. They are tasked with 
cutting over a trillion dollars in government programs.

Contact members of the Super-Committee 
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=sucD1a3IZ0RPMLMZWFiqypPnC8%2FzSrDk> 
and tell them to de-fund the SOA/WHINSEC and other failed military 
programs through SOUTHCOM.


      Call to Action Conference
      <http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=O7NTqXeYl7s%2BW%2BYF79fc7ZPnC8%2FzSrDk>

<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=9xdiHsrreKh7x4DoSHG43pPnC8%2FzSrDk> 


Join /Fr. Roy Bourgeois/ who is speaking at the Call To Action 
Conference this November 4-6th!

Be part of the largest gathering of progressive Catholics in the country 
with speakers including:

ADA MARIA ISASI DIAZ, Mujerista Theologian; ANTHONY RUFF, Benedictine 
Monk and Liturgist; RAUL AL-QARAZ OCHOA, Immigration and LGBT Rights 
Activist; JAMIE MANSON, National Catholic Reporter Columnist

And more than 30 other speakers, workshops, prayer sessions, arts and 
entertainment, inclusive worship and more!

_________________


Follow SOAW on Facebook 
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=WvF3EB6bxSBeIQAddrK8XJPnC8%2FzSrDk> 


Follow SOAW on Twitter 
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Zml72evAM8TwlZsrVCJSxZPnC8%2FzSrDk> 


See us on YouTube 
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=v2yGRE1UT2GoMi3vk9PlRpPnC8%2FzSrDk> 


Contact us <mailto:info at soaw.org>.

Our mailing address is:
SOA Watch, PO Box 4566, Washington, D.C. 20017, USA

Our telephone: (202) 234 3440

Click here 
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=nApnT87uKsno9geaARfGe5PnC8%2FzSrDk> 
to fund the campaign to close the SOA.




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