CAWI held its regular 'First Monday' monthly meeting at the Hot House June 6, with about 25 people attending.

Neighborhoods represented were Hyde Park, Lincoln Park, Andersonville, Logan Square, Evanston, North Shore, Wicker Park, Marquette Park, Bucktown and River Forest/Oak Park.

We started with a demonstration by Ted Pearson of the new 'Peace Kiosk' project put together by Lincoln Park Neighbors United for Peace. It is more fully described in a separate post but, obviously, was a big hit. Now we need to put it to work.

The main political discussion was a review of all the issues around the upcoming Fall mobilization in DC Sept 24-26. Our basic stand is to go all out to build this event, getting as many Chicagoans as possible to make the trip and to cooperate with others in getting the job done.

We are doing so, however, from the perspective of United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) and its national call. Carl Davidson reported on a discussion with UFPJ Co-Chair George Martin at RadFest in Wisconsin last weekend. UFPJ has now broadly expanded to include over 4000 local affiliates around the country. Recognizing that the ANSWER coalition and the Troops Out Now coalition have also called for protest in DC at the same time, UFPJ is still proceeding, at this point, of the plan organizing its own events. UFPJ has secured permits for a rally and festival in the large Ellipse area behind the White House and for a march route around the White House. Other educational, training, lobbying and CD direct action events are planned for Sunday and Monday. The ANSWER Coalition has secured permits for several other separate sites. At this point, UFPJ is stating that everyone, including the other coalitions, can take part in the street march aspect of its program, which, in my opinion, leaves the door open for cooperation.

The differences between the various groups are familiar to us.

Briefly, UFPJ is focusing on Iraq. Its demands are: 'END THE WAR ON IRAQ, BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW! Leave no bases behind - End the corporate occupation of Iraq - Stop bankrupting our communities - No military recruitment in our schools. - Hold Bush & Congress Accountable for the Deaths, the Destruction, the Lies, and the Toll on Our Communities.'

The other coalitions raise a range of additional demands, mainly stressing U.S. intervention in other countries around the world as well. The most controversial ones concern various ways of focusing -- or not focusing -- on Israel, Palestine and the armed resistances in Iraq.

As for CAWI, we want to see a single, unified action in DC to the highest degree that is possible and effective. We believe that if there is a will to do so among all concerned, a way can be found. (For instance, we were satisfied with the way groups came together here for M19.)

But in any case, we are going to build the UFPJ event in a big way. We are going to put our emphasis on the practical work of mobilizing people to DC. While we will make our views known, we'll leave the bargaining, if any, to the national representatives.

We agreed this event is very important and require a full effort on our part. Somewhere between 500,000 and 1 million people is a good target.. We also want, as part of the UFPJ lobbying, to work with Jan Schakowsky, Danny Davis and Lane Evans to get the rest of the IL Delegation signed on to HR 35 calling for immediate withdrawal for Iraq.

CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION. Several efforts, including ours and the Iraq Peace Pledge folks, are underway. We need to get Joe Moore involved, stress the importance of 'Out Now' and come up with common language and efforts.

JULY 4 EVENTS: We are encouraging participation by local groups in local July 4 parades and events as antiwar voices and contingents. So far, thing are happening in Oak Park, Arlington Park and North Shore.


JULY 13 BUD BILIKKEN PARADE: We will join with others, perhaps David Orr, in getting a float and setting up our Peace Kiosk.

AUG 6 EVENTS: We will support Rainbow/PUSH's effort around voting rights on this day, but also link it to the traditional Hiroshima events. The Hyde Park folks will take this up around the Fermi Lab ceremony.

SEPT 10 OAK PARK PEACE FAIR. They want us to help with the 'public voice' aspect of this and make in broader than Oak Park. It may be a good focus for last minute pep rallying to get people to DC.

CODE PINK REPORT: We're helping Code Pink grow. They're planning on one meeting a month (the 4th Tuesday of the month). Current focus is counter-recruitment and putting some heat on Melissa Bean re her votes on the war. Contact Darlene Gramigna, 312-427-2533 or dgramigna (at) afsc.org Also: 'Talk Back' to PATRIOT Act Enforcers in Chicago. The annual Conference of Mayors has invited two of the CHIEF ENFORCERS of the PATRIOT Act to present to their group during its Chicago gathering June 10-14. DePaul Students Against the War is calling for a rally outside of the Hilton (722 S Michigan Ave) on Monday, June 13th from 8:30am until the mayors break for lunch at noon. They are requesting all concerned area Chicagoans come out with signs, noisemakers, guerrilla theatre and spirit.

If you are interested in spearheading CodePink's participation in this event, or having CodePink get more involved in PATRIOT Act issues, please contact codepinkchicago (at) yahoo.com The next meeting will be Tuesday, June 28 at 7:30pm, at Healing Earth Resources, 3111 N Ashland Avenue in Chicago. It's near the Belmont, Lincoln Ave and Ashland intersection ? accessible from Kennedy Expressway or Lake Shore Drive. Plenty of parking behind building. Close to Brown & Red line, various bus lines.

OTHER SUPPORTED PLANS AND ACTIVITIES:

June 11: SUPPORT IRAQ VETS AGAINST THE WAR. Benefit Art Show, Film Screening and Discussion Saturday, June 11th, 2005 1278 N. Milwaukee Ave. Chicago, IL 6-11pm.

June 17: IRAQ LABOR TOUR: Representatives of the Federation of Workers Councils and Unions of Iraq (FWCUI) will be in Chicago on June 17-18 as part of a 20-city tour sponsored by U.S. Labor Against the War (USLAW). USLAW, Chicago Labor for Peace, Prosperity and Justice, and Chicago Labor Against the War are co-sponsoring a public program Friday evening June 17. Come hear Falah Awan [President, Federation of Workers Councils and Unions of Iraq, FWCUI] and Amjad Ali Aljawhry [Representative of the FWCUI & Union of the Unemployed in Iraq, UUI, for North America]Friday, June 17, 6:00 to 7:30 pm, UNITE HERE, 333 S.
Ashland Ave..