Chicago Indymedia : http://chicago.indymedia.org/archive
Chicago Indymedia

LOCAL News :: Peace

Chicago Can Vote 'Yes!' To Stop the War Nov. 7

[We are urging all groups and individuals to work together with us in getting a large turnout for this on election day. You don't have to support any party or candidate, unless you choose to, but just help us get folks to the polls to vote 'Yes' on this countywide referenda. It'll be a big deal if we get a wide majority for it. PDFs for flyers and handouts will be coming soon, or just make your own. --CarlD]
voter_reg.jpg
Vote 'Yes' to Stop the War!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Carl Davidson - CAWI (312) 415-2499; card717 (at) aol.com

Wick Swanton - MK Communications (312) 822-0505; wswanton (at) mkcpr.com

YEARNING TO MAKE YOUR OPINON OF THE WAR HEARD?
IF YOU LIVE IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS, YOU CAN!
ISSUE OF WAR IN IRAQ WILL BE PUT TO NOVEMBER 7th VOTE

CHICAGO (October 18, 2006) - While there are scores of congressional races around the country considered to be surrogates for a debate on the War in Iraq, residents in Cook County Illinois will actually have the opportunity to explicitly declare their opinions on immediately bringing the troops home on November 7th.

Countywide Public Policy Referenda #3 is a non-binding referendum on the war which asks voters: “Shall the United States Government immediately begin an orderly and rapid withdrawal of all its military personnel from Iraq, beginning with the National Guard and Reserves?” The ballot measure, which mirrors similar resolutions passed by more than 100 city councils nationwide, including the Chicago City Council, as well as the AFL-CIO, is non-binding, meaning a “yes” vote is simply the decision of the voter to show their support for a stop-the-war stand.

The placement of the referendum on the War in Iraq on the Cook County ballot is the work of Chicagoans Against War and Injustice (CAWI), its citywide network of neighborhood affiliates and allied peace groups. CAWI has been mobilizing against Bush's Iraqi misadventure since its first demonstration in October 2002, Also joining their effort were dozens of suburban anti-war groups that are part of the Illinois Coalition for Peace and Justice (ILCPJ) . Similar resolutions can be found on ballots in Dekalb, Aurora, Champaign-Urbana and Springfield, Illinois.

CAWI and ILCPJ member groups are calling on all Chicago and suburban Cook County registered voters to vote on the resolution November 7th, regardless of their choices of parties or candidates. “Millions have demonstrated against the war, hundreds of towns and cities have passed resolutions against the war; now we are giving every voter a chance to vote their opinion directly in this critical national election,” said Carl Davidson, Co-Chair of CAWI. “This is one action among many, but they all add up.” “It's our belief that, when given the chance, voters will send a strong message to their public officials--both Democrat and Republican--that every day we stay in Iraq threatens not only our soldiers, but our fundamental security by wasting both dollars and lives.” added Marilyn Katz, who with Davidson and other activists initiated CAWI in the fall of 2002.

Since its founding, CAWI has organized dozens of peace rallies, forums and voter drives enabling thousands of ordinary, everyday Chicagoans to speak out against the Iraq War and other social injustices, as well as working with the Chicago City Council and other councils throughout the nation to oppose the war.

The Illinois Coalition for Peace and Justice, founded in April 2006, is the coming together of more than 90 justice, community, faith-based, student and labor groups in Illinois. Acting in a broad non-partisan alliance, ILCPJ hopes to end US military actions and shift resources to social justice around the world.

For more information on the Illinois Coalition for Peace and Justice or the November 7th resolution, please visit www.ilcpj.org
 
 

Donate

Views

Account Login

Media Centers

 

This site made manifest by dadaIMC software