2,000th Death Sparks Nationwide Protests
By Sari Gelzer
The events in Washington are outlined in Cindy Sheehan's article today, "Civil Disobedience in DC: 2,000 Dead, Not One More." She says that in Washington, DC, today there will be a fast to recognize the hardships of American soldiers and Iraqis, with events scheduled throughout the week from noon till 8pm each day. Every day will end with a die-in, where pro-peace activists will represent dead soldiers. Tomorrow Sheehan and Ann Wright, one of three diplomats to resign from the State Department in protest of the war, plan to be arrested in this act of civil disobedience commemorating the dead.
While protests are planned throughout the week in Washington, Wednesday is a day of protests in cities across the country. These protests have been organized via the Internet by Moveon.org and the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) website. Moveon.org has begun organizing a vigil and reflection on the war by notifying its three million subscribers who are organizing locally for the event which begins at 6:30 tommorow.
Wednesday protests are also being organized by the "Not One More Death, Not One More Dollar" initiative through the AFSC website. It is co-sponsored by Gold Star Families for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, and Military Families Speak Out.
The vigil and protests organized by the "Not One More Death, Not One More Dollar" initiative, will be occuring throughout the day tomorrow, depending on the city. The goal of this initiative is to bring attention to the 2,000 dead by representing the toll visually with boots or stars bearing names and death dates. These public gatherings, says the AFSC, will be public actions for politicians and fellow Americans to see the death toll. In addition, these gatherings will collect signatures to give to Congress, telling them to end the government funding for the war in Iraq.
The activists will also be publicly recognizing the Iraqis who have been killed.
The Iraq Body Count, a British research group that compiles its figures from reports by the major news agencies and British and US newspapers, has said that as many as 30,051 Iraqis have been killed since the start of the war.
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