Swords Into Plowshares - Press conference

by John Blasingame Wed Feb 09, 2005 21:29 jcblas at isp dot com USA

Sir:
My father, who was born in 1898, was drafted in WW1. He took the physical exam one day and the war ended the next; that's as close as he ever came to wearing a uniform. But he lived through two world wars, Korea, Viet Nam, and many brushfire conflicts. About warfare he used to tell me, "It's a rich man's war, but a poor man's fight." Amen. I recently saw a poster that showed a litle girl sitting on her well dressed father's lap. The caption read, "Daddy, why don't you or any of your friends at Enron have to go to war?" Perhaps one day those of us in the working class, always the ones to do the bleeding and the dying, will have enough sense to say, 'Hell no we won't go' when our leaders start rattling their missiles. May it be soon.

by Harry Browne Tue Feb 08, 2005 17:55

Published today on Counterpunch site...

by Rasta4i’s Fri Feb 04, 2005 21:02

Audio Piece 34mins

http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/plowshares.mp3

Swords Into Plowshares - Press conference 3 February 2005
Make Shannon a Sanctuary of PEACE for US Military Resistors.

Conference held by the Catholic workers Group to highlight the use of Shannon Airport by the US army and the effects of the war on Iraq.

Chaired by Damian Moran

Finian Mc Grath TD

David Birmingham

Ed Horgan

Senator David Norris
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The windows media audio file dosn't work on any of my comps so here is a mp3 version of the conference.

Rasta4i’s

by pc Fri Feb 04, 2005 19:34

ooo err

by II Fri Feb 04, 2005 19:00

US troops urged to seek out asylum in Ireland
US troops passing through Shannon airport were urged yesterday to refuse to reboard their planes bound for Iraq and to seek asylum in Ireland.

The call - made on the second anniversary of action against a US Navy aircraft at Shannon - came from anti-war activists who were joined by Senator David Norris and independent Dublin TD Finian McGrath.

They urged that Shannon should become a "sanctuary of peace" for the increasing numbers of troops "refusing to fight the ongoing war in Iraq".

Last year, an estimated 158,000 US troops passed through Shannon and the movement has created millions of euro in business for the airport.

A US embassy spokesman in Dublin declined to comment on the call but said they took great pride in the work their military was doing to bring democracy to Iraq.

"The President has spoken very proudly about the work our military is doing to rid Iraq of dictatorship and to bring democracy to it," he said.

A statement condemning the war in Iraq was signed by the two Oireachtas members along with former Defence Forces Commandant Ed Horgan, Michael Birmingham, an Irish activist returned from Iraq and the four Catholic Workers facing trial next month on charges of criminal damage without lawful excuse, to a US Navy aircraft at Shannon - Deirdre Clancy, Karen Fallon, Damien Moran and Ciaron O'Reilly.

They claimed that 5,500 members of the US military are currently refusing to further participate in the war, have gone into hiding, into exile or have been sent to military prisons.

Fergus Black

by Ploughshares Fri Feb 04, 2005 18:48 087 918 4552

********************
PRESS RELEASE BEGINS
********************

U.S. SOLDIERS INVITED TO REFUSE TO REBOARD IRAQ BOUND
AT SHANNON

Prominent members of the Oireachtas and leading Irish
peace activists will call for expanded nonviolent
resistance to the illegal invasion and occupation of
Iraq.

Senator David Norris and Deputy Finian McGrath TD will
be amongst those issuing the following statement
during a press conference to be held at 12 noon in
Buswells Hotel, Dublin, on Thursday, February 3rd.

"On the 2nd anniversary of the nonviolent disarmament
of a U.S. Navy War plane at Shannon Airport, we call
for Shannon to become a Sanctuary of Peace for the
increasing numbers of U.S. troops refusing to fight
the ongoing war on Iraq.

We recognise that over 100,000 Iraqis (source: Lancet
Medical Journal) have been killed in this war.
We recognise that more than 1,400 members of the U.S.
military have been killed, and over 10,000 wounded, in
prosecuting this war.
We recognise that 5,500 members of the U.S. military
are presently refusing to further participate in this
war - they have gone into hiding,
into exile, or they have gone into military prisons.

We acknowledge that, "Wars will cease when people
refuse to fight", and when, like the five Catholic
Workers awaiting trial in Dublin - we 'beat swords
into ploughshares' (Isaiah 2:4).

We encourage members of the U.S. military refusing to
participate in this illegal war to seek asylum in
Ireland. We encourage members of the U.S. military
landing at Shannon Airport to refuse to reboard the
planes bound for Iraq."

Senator David Norris
Finian McGrath TD
Ed Horgan - former Commandant Irish Defence Forces
Michael Birmingham -Irish peace activist returned from
Iraq
Deirdre Clancy - Ploughshares Defendant
Karen Fallon - Ploughshares Defendant
Damien Moran - Ploughshares Defendant
Ciaron O'Reilly - Ploughshares Defendant

A spokesperson, Damien Moran said, "The offer of
sanctuary in Ireland is deeply rooted in our
traditions of neutrality and hospitality. As civilians
we wish to express solidarity with military resisters
such as imprisoned Camilio Mejia, exiled Jeremy
Hinzman and the thousands of military resisters on the
run in the United States."

Further information on press conference:
Contact Damien at 087 9638398 or Ciaron 087 9184552

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PRESS RELEASE ENDS
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