[van-discuss] Women speak against the US war on Iraq

[PLaydorsey at aol.com]

When a woman writes against war, it is her heart's blood that fills her pen. 
I encourage every woman who receives this message to add her own statement, 
letter or words and send this composite peace proposal far and wide.

May women's voices be heard!

in peace & sister solidarity
Patricia
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Subj:    Voices and Actions: NO to war on Iraq
Date:   Thursday, September 19, 2002 5:03:04 AM
From:   womenandlife at t-online.de
To:     womenandlife at t-online-de

From:   womenandlife at t-online.de (Women and Life on Earth)
Reply-to:   womenandlife at t-online.de
To: womenandlife at t-online-de (wloe alert list - E)

VOICES: A number of women and women's groups around the world are working on 
statements of opposition to the threatened US war in Iraq. This draft came to 
us from Grace Lee Boggs, well-known activist in Detroit. (See her work at: 
http://www.boggscenter.org) You can copy or add to it, pass it on to your 
friends, and send petitions to important persons of your choice. Let us be 
heard.


Women United Against War


    “As women embracing life and peace we oppose all US military action 
against Iraq. We reject the cynical manipulation by the Bush administration 
of the grief of our people to justify his aggression.


    “We believe this is a defining moment in the life of our country. We will 
either take our place in the family of nations as seekers of peace and 
justice or we will start down a terrible road to war, unleashing the fury of 
generations to come on our land.


    “We oppose this war. We oppose all elected officials who support this 
war. There is no other issue greater than the cause of peace. No past stand 
or history can be called upon to overshadow the imperative to stand today for 
peace. We, as women acting to shape public life, dedicate our energy, 
resources, and hopes to those who establish peace.


    “There will be no war in our names."

Grace Lee Boggs
Detroit, Michigan
USA

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Letter To the Editor sent to the New York Times, September 20, 2002

Dear Editor

As the Bush Administration pounds the drums of war and members of Congress of 
both parties prepare to cave in to his demands to mount a pre-emptive war on 
Iraq, where are the voices of the American people? It is their young people 
who will risk their lives and bear the long-term consequences of this new 
National Security Strategy, a strategy that gives the United States, the most 
powerful nation on earth, the right to decide who should be in power in any 
country they choose and then use military force to ensure that choice. 

Does this sound like democracy? 

The words that swirl around President Bush's head, words such as 
"freedom-loving" and "human rights" and "liberty", have no meaning when used 
to justify unending war and pre-emptive attacks on defenseless people. Where 
will we find a yellow ribbon large anough to wipe away the blood of innocents 
from this country's hands?

Sincerely

Patricia Lay-Dorsey
Grosse Pointe, Michigan
USA
www.windchimewalker.com
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