Hunger Strike to End War

Friends,

Please visit http://www.troopshomefast.org to find out how you can support this hunger strike to stop the war in Iraq.  (You're invited to participate in a "rolling fast" in your area, at a public or congressional office.)

peace & grace,
~Matt


Hunger Strike Set to End War

truthout -- June 27, 2006

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/062706G.shtml

Cindy Sheehan, Dick Gregory, Susan Sarandon, Sean Penn
and Hundreds More Launch Hunger Strike to End the Iraq
War

On July 3, 2006, CODEPINK: Women for Peace, Global
Exchange and Gold Star Families for Peace will announce
a historic hunger strike against the war in Iraq. At
5pm, they will sit down in front of the White House to
eat their last meal and hold a press conference before
beginning the fast at the same location in the morning
of July 4 at 10am.

We've marched, held vigils, lobbied Congress, camped
out at Bush's ranch. We've even gone to jail. Now it's
time to do more, says peace mom Cindy Sheehan. While
others are celebrating July 4th with barbeques, we'll
be showing our patriotism by putting our bodies on the
line to bring our troops home.

Hundreds of celebrities, veterans, mothers, and
concerned citizens across the country will participate
in a rolling fast. Strikers include musicians Willie
Nelson and Michael Franti, actors Danny Glover, Sean
Penn and Susan Sarandon, Gold Star parents Cindy
Sheehan and Fernando Suarez, legendary faster and
comedian Dick Gregory, environmental activist Diane
Wilson, Iraq war veteran Geoffrey Millard and Gulf War
vet Michael McPherson, labor leader Dolores Huerta and
CODEPINK cofounders Medea Benjamin, Jodie Evans and
Gael Murphy.

The organizers call on a long history of fasts for
political purposes, claiming their place among the
Suffragettes, Mahatma Gandhi and Cesar Chavez. In
honor of this rich history, the fasters will gather at
the Gandhi memorial statue at Massachusetts and 21st NW
on July 3 at 3pm, then march to Pennsylvania Avenue for
the meal and press conference at 5pm. In other parts of
the country, people will engage in rolling fasts,
passing the fast from person to person every 24 hours.

Diane Wilson, who has engaged in several hunger strikes
in her history as an environmental activist, says she
will not set an end date to her fast. "My goal is to
bring the troops home. I don't know how long I can
fast, but I'm making this open- ended," she says. "I plan
to take this as far as I've ever taken anything in my
58 years. I fear our future is at stake, and I'm ready
to make a major sacrifice."

The fast will last until September 21, International
Peace Day, when activists around the country will
initiate a week of nonviolent actions against the war
as part of the Declaration of Peace.

--------

For more information, including a full list of fasters,
please see www.troopshomefast.org.

========

FASTers who has signed up to observe a FAST,
either in D.C. or in their hometown

Cindy Sheehan
Dick Gregory
Willie Nelson
Alice Walker
Sean Penn
Danny Glover
Dolores Huerta
Susan Sarandon
Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey
Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney
British MP George Galloway
Michael Franti
Eve Ensler
Howard Zinn, Author
Greg Palast, Author
Diane Wilson, environmentalist/author
Medea Benjamin, Gael Murphy, Jodie Evans, & Tiffany Burns, CODEPINK
Vandana Shiva, environmentalist
Rev. Bob Edgar, National Council of Churches
Rev. Joan Campbell
Arun Gandhi, President, Gandhi Institute for Non-Violence
Rev. Graylan Hagler, Plymouth Congregational Church
Marianne Williamson, author
Daniel Ellsberg, Pentagon whistleblower
Paul Hawkins, author
Jim Hightower, author
Rev. Noemi Mena, Hispanic Ministries
Rev. Tony Campolo
Pratap Chatterjee, CorpWatch
Lt. Ehren Watada, Iraq war resister
Ann Wright, colonel and former US diplomat
Kim Gandy, National Organization for Women
Olga Vives, Executive Vice President, NOW
Ray McGovern, former CIA Analyst
Samina Faheem, American Muslim Voice
Dr. E. Faye Williams, National Congress of Black Women
Laura Flanders, Air America talk show host
Gabby Hoffman, Actress
Peter Yarrow, singer/songwriter, Peter, Paul and Mary
Michael Berg, Father of Nicolas Berg, who was killed in Iraq
Rev. Lennox Yearwood
Fr. Louie Vitale, Franciscan priest
Miyumi Ota, artist
Fernando Suarez del Solar, Guerrerro Azteca
Michael McPherson, Veterans for Peace
Geoffrey Millard, Iraq Veterans Against the War
Dede Miller, Gold Star Families for Peace
Karen Dolan, Cities for Progress
John Cavanagh, Marcus Raskin, Phyllis Bennis -
Institute for Policy Studies
Brian Willson, Vietnam Vet
Andy Shallal, Iraqi Americans for Peaceful Alternatives
Jeff Adachi, San Francisco Public Defender
Renee Saucedo, Immigrant Rights Lawyer
Francisco Herrera, singer/songwriter
Will Durst, Political comic, talk show host
Kevin Zeese, U.S. Senate candidate, Maryland
Raed Jarrar, Iraqi analyst, Global Exchange
Paul Kangas - Veterans for Peace

List of Long-Term FASTERs:

Daniel Ellsberg, Pentagon whistleblower
Diane Wilson, environmental activist
Dick Gregory, comedian/civil rights activist
Cindy Sheehan, Gold Star Families for Peace
Jodie Evans, CODEPINK co-founder
Medea Benjamin, Global Exchange and CODEPINK co-founder
Father Louie Vitale, Franciscan priest
Dede Miller, Gold Star Families for Peace
Ann Wright, Colonel and former US Diplomat
Tiffany Burns, CODEPINK
Fernando Suarez, Guerrero Azteca and Gold Star Families
Gael Murphy, CODEPINK co-founder
Geoffrey Millard, Iraq Veterans Against the War
Raed Jarrar, Iraqi analyst, Global Exchange

Organizations Supporting the FAST:

CODEPINK: Women for Peace
Gold Star Families for Peace
American Muslim Voice
Cities for Progress
Granny Peace Brigade
Liberty Tree - Foundation for the Democratic Revolution
National Congress of Black Women
Iraq Task Force, Institute for Policy Studies
Progressive Democrats of America
Raging Grannies
September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows
Women of Color Resource Center
Women's Institute for Freedom of the Press