On Saturday, February 4th, the Action for Peace Working Group (APWG) of Occupy Boston led an inspiring day of action to demand “No War On Iran!” The day included a march, a rally at the Israeli consulate to urge Israel not to act as a proxy for oil interests in starting a war with Iran, and a speakout at Copley Square. Saturday’s Boston action was one of fifty-five demonstrations taking place in the United States and in six countries to demand, “No War! No Sanctions! No Assassinations! No Intervention!”
Marilyn Levin of APWG spoke first, and noted how the current situation mirrored the run up to the war in Iraq. She added, “The War Against Terror has led to endless war, and an assault on both our Constitution and democracy.”
Alex Shams, a Harvard student with the Palestine Solidarity Committee at Harvard, was excited by the march and the turnout: “This demonization does not make sense. I am just so happy to see how many are against bombing more people.” Shanes who is Iranian, described how living under sanctions has been devastating for the people of Iran. He also said people in believe it is inevitable that the United States will attack them and destroy their homes and country. He urged the crowd not to let that happen.
Shawn Golden from ISA said that as the U.S. threatened to start yet another war, they have yet to held accountable for what the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have done to civilians, and the hundreds of thousands who died.
Steve Kirschbaum, Chair of United Steelworkers local 8751 spoke, noted the devastating economic consequences of endless war: “Every bomb means no money for a school. Every bomber means roads and bridges that are neither repaired nor maintained. Solidarity with Indiana. Children go hungry due to this endless war, the 1000 bases. We lure our young people who cannot find jobs into the killing machine. We lure them to study for jobs that they will never have, and to take on a trillion dollars in debt so bankers profit. It is time for the people to occupy everything.”
The Smedley Butler Brigade of Veterans for Peace were there in force, and Pat Scanlon spoke at the speakout. Scanlon invited everyone to the Saint Patrick’s Peace Parade for March 18. For more information, contact Info@massvfp.org
The next meeting of the Action for Peace Working Group is on February 5, 2012 at E5, 33 Harrison Avenue, Boston at 3 PM.
2 Responses to “Occupy Boston Rallies to Demand “No War on Iran””
Hey
Just a heads up- I was the one of the speakers at the event that you quote but my name is “Alex Shams” not “Ali Shanes”. Thanks for correcting that!
Take care
Hello Peace activists! You’re WINNING!
US military spending is GOING DOWN! Just a little, but DOWN!
And the % of spending going TO the military is GOING DOWN. Quite a bit. Last year, 19%. Projections down to 15% in 2016 (depending on what Congress approves…GET OUT THE VOTE!) source: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Overview/
KEEP UP THE PRESSURE to STOP killing from being a PROFIT INDUSTRY!
With the maximum salary for military contractors at $684K/year, this is a HUGE incentive! Do policemen make that kind of money? Do teachers? Nurses?
Why do military contractors make that kind of money?
The profit incentive for killing is HUGE!
http://www.federaltimes.com/article/20110911/ADOP06/109110303/
Even at a 1% profit margin off of revenues, that’s $7 BILLION/year in profit! That’s profit that goes directly into the pockets of business owners. Tax money being used as profit!
Why the Tea Party isn’t angry about that, I don’t know. Maybe it has something to do with so many Tea Party leaders being hooked into this corporate welfare program.
Oh, and HOW is it decided how much defense we need?
EASY! We ASK THE CONTRACTORS!
We all want to be safe. But why are contractors deciding our war plans? The people who profit from killing saying what we need?
The Huffington Post reported that in the 4th quarter of 2009, the top ten defense contractors spent $27 million lobbying. One quarter. Three months. During that three months Congress approved $635 billion in military spending.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/21/top-defense-contractors-s_n_431542.html
Even if that $27 million secured 1% of that budget (either an increase, or an avoidance of a decrease) and even @ 2% profit margin, that means that the return on the $27 million in lobbying was 500%.
Nice “return on investment”, huh? But the best part about it is that it’s not even their own money! It’s YOURS. It’s included in the overhead of the money that they are charging the government to make guns, and other military equipment.
OUR WORK IS NOT DONE!
STOP THE PROFIT INCENTIVE TO KILL!
Tribal leaders in Pakistan, Afghanistan and around the Middle East beg us to build schools, so their children have a future other than the military.
http://www.threecupsoftea.com/about-the-book/stones-into-schools/
Let’s spend our money on EDUCATION and HEALTH CARE. It’s OUR DEFENSE abroad. Farms and healthy communities are our defense here at home.
STOP THE PROFIT INCENTIVE TO KILL!
KEEP DOING WHAT YOU”RE DOING Peace Activists!
YOU’RE MAKING A DIFFERENCE!