Ithacans protest weapons in space
Author: Local Desk
Topic: Local News
Between 50 and 100 people showed up for the October 13 protest against space weapons and nuclear power against space in Ithaca. Ithacans joined protestors in 115 locations in 19 countries. In Ithaca, Darth Vader, accompanied by representatives of the US military and US corporations as well as his elite guards led a march from the Ithaca Commons to the Sciencecenter by way of the Sagan Planetwalk. At each planet (except Neptune,) Darth read from US military reports, describing the new era of space weapons that "deliver mass and energy" to targets with "unprecedented precision." (Photographs attached.)
Protests in other places:
Reports are still coming in from October 13 protests around the world but we have some exciting news to report. We are grateful to all who worked so hard to organize events, especially under the extraordinary circumstances following September 11. Most actions integrated the issues of space weapons and the Central Asian War. We ended up with 115 local actions in 19 countries.
We've been putting the reports, with some great photos, on our website so be sure to check them out at: http://www.space4peace.org/
Here is a sampling of numbers that we have heard about:
* Adelaide, Australia (600 people in the rain)
* Amherst, MA (200)
* Arcata, CA (200)
* Ft Meade, MD (4 arrested at NSA HQ)
* Berlin, Germany (50,000)
* Stuttgart, Germany (25,000)
* Hiroshima, Japan (20)
* Isahaya City, Japan (16)
* Kennedy Space Center, Florida (80)
* London, England (50,000)
* Vandenberg AFB, CA (65)
* Los Angeles, CA (300)
* Dublin, Ireland (Letter taken to U.S. Embassy opposing Star Wars)
* Tokyo, Japan (80)
* Stockholm, Sweden (50 at U.S. Embassy, 4,000 at peace march)
* Menwith Hill, England (250)
* Cape Cod, MA (100)
* Cleveland, OH (200)
* Chennai, India (public meeting)
* Fylingdales, England (peace walk and vigil)
* Andover, MA (40)
* Woodstock, N.Y. (50)
* Fairbanks, AL (50)
* Tucson, AZ (150)
* Perth, Australia (400)
* Buckley AFB, CO (106)
* Munich, Germany (400)
* Ithaca, N.Y. (85)
In Cleveland, Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) announced, at our Keep Space for Peace conference (sponsored by the Global Network & Cleveland Peace Action), that he has introduced the "Space Preservation Act of 2001" (HR 2977) that calls for the banning of all weapons in space and would outlaw all research and development for space-based weapons. Rep. Kucinich told the assembled that "We need to believe in ourselves and our ability to change things...We have to work on transforming the consciousness of the country. War is not inevitable," Kucinich said.
As a follow-up to October 13 we would like to recommend some of the following ideas for on-going action for space organizing.
1) Build support for the Kucinich ban on weapons in space bill by sending local delegations to meet with your Congressperson. (Ask them to have a copy of his bill available when you meet.) For people overseas, ask your government to support a global ban on weapons in space at the United Nations.
2) Letters to editor of local papers.
3) Meet with local religious leaders and ask them to preach about the need to ban war in the heavens.
4) Outreach to local labor unions and labor federations making the point that funding for Star Wars will cut into other community needs like education, health care, day care funding, social security, etc...
5) Organize a local conference on the issue of Star Wars and how space will be used to control space and the Earth below.
6) Contact the Global Network and arrange for a speaker from our speakers bureau.
7) Send a representative from your community to the Global Network's 10th annual international membership meeting that will be held in Berkeley, California on May 10-12, 2002.
Many thanks again to all and best wishes.
Bruce K. Gagnon
Coordinator
Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space
PO Box 90083
Gainesville, FL. 32607
(352) 337-9274
globalnet@mindspring.com
