Chatham
Peace Initiative -a community gathering for peace . . . We are residents of
Columbia County, NY, who first came together in the fall of 2002 to vigil in
protest of the looming war in Iraq. We are deeply committed to peace and social
justice and to the plight of detained immigrants.
Chatham Peace Initiative,
Last updated Thursday, 04/06/2008
For information on Walk to Fort Drum in May 8-17, 2008 click on: http://nysmarchesforpeace.org/
Register Star article on 3 hour rally against 5 years of war
held at Congresswoman Gillibrand’s office in
Register Star 02/03/08
The picture below is of Congresswoman Gillibrand in front of the Hudson Opera House on February 2, 2008, with a bundle of completed impeachment petitions collected by the Chatham Peace Initiative, talking with Wendy Dwyer displaying an impeach sign with Martin Baumgold behind waving a peace flag. Below that picture is Congresswoman Gillibrand inside the Hudson Opera House with Max Greishaber on her left who made and presented her with this banner entitled “Congress Gillibrand: Support the woman and children of Iraq!” Bob Elmendorf is on her right and Nancy Rothman is in the rear.
We handed out the following letter to those who attended the event:
February 2, 2008
We welcome Congressmember Kirsten Gillibrand to
Out of the destruction, terror and tragedy of World War II Eleanor had the vision to guide the nation and world in the creation of the United Nations, an institution which implements actions for the betterment of human kind and mediates world disputes.
Today we are again engaged in the terror, torture, repression and tragedy of war. We know that the events that unfold before us each day cannot stand the review of law nor withstand the test of the Constitution. Were Eleanor with us today, she would combat this repression and war effort. Eleanor would not hesitate to bring our military back home.
Our demands are grounded in Eleanor’s legacy, and our loyalties, principles and convictions speak in harmony with hers. We citizens of the 20th District feel reassured in the knowledge that Congressmember Gillibrand also embraces Eleanor Roosevelt’s legacy.
We demand complete military withdrawal, respect for the
human dignity and rights of the peoples, women and children of
CPI: Susan Davies, Bob Elmendorf, Max Greishaber, James Rothenberg, Nancy Rothman
The following letter conveyed to petitions to Congresswoman Gillibrand:
The petition signatures here presented represent the modest
collection efforts of a very small group of people. Most were gathered on the
main street of
We were greatly impressed not only by their number, but by the relative ease of obtaining them. The teeth were falling out by themselves, to reverse an expression. One quickly got the feeling that public resentment against the White House ran deep and wide. Indeed, public opinion polls seem to reflect this, is spite of the scant attention the matter receives in the Congress and from elite opinion.
Impeachment is only the first step in the search for justice. But failing to take it, for whatever reasons, is to push justice into an indefinite future. One must at least be able to say, I tried.
Do what you feel in your heart to be right - for you'll be
criticized anyway.
- Eleanor Roosevelt -
This search for justice goes beyond the President and Vice President having to answer to the American people for their crimes. The people they harmed on foreign shores are waiting as well.
Justice cannot be for one side alone, but must be for both.
- Eleanor Roosevelt -
Susan Davies
Bob Elmendorf
Max Greishaber
James Rothenberg
Nancy Rothman
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From the Register Star
From The Independent
The
Is Rallying To
Call for the Shutdown of
Friday, January 11,
2008 from 4:00 -5:00 PM
Corner of Park and
STOP THE TORTURE
DEMAND JUSTICE
For more information call 766-2992
Go to http://www.witnesstorture.org/jan11_call for downloads of signs, and more background information.
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Thursday, December 6 at 7 p.m.
Screening of “Little Birds”
Tracy Memorial (
Presented by the
“This is a film that
simply cries out to be seen more widely.” – Jasper Sharp, Midnighteye
Little Birds (
"I tried to depict the devastation caused by air
strikes and how attacks with cluster bombs cruelly involved ordinary
Iraqis," said the 35-year-old Watai, "And such scenes seemed to be
quite new to
The film provides an intimate look at the lives of Iraqi families during the invasion and after. It especially focuses on 31-year-old Ali Saqban who lost three of his four small children in the initial bombing of Baghdad, and on Hadeel Kadem, a 12-year-old girl, and her father who await an operation to remove a piece of shrapnel from her eye.
The film has no distributor in the
The Chatham Peace Initiative has arranged for a series of screenings in the area including at: The Sanctuary for Independent Media, 3361 – 6th Avenue, Troy, NY (518-272-2390) on Thursday, December 13 at 7 p.m.; the Rock Hill Bake House Café, 19 Exchange St Glens Falls, NY 12801 (518-615-0777) on Friday, December 14 at 7 p.m.; and at the Media Education Community Room, 60 Masonic St. Northampton, MA "Little Birds" on Fri. Dec. 14.
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As of October 27, 2007, twenty-two congress members have signed onto house resolution 333.
Mass Grave in
Amy Goodman posted a story on May 8, 2007 “One In Eight
Iraqi Children Die Before the Age of Five
Click for
information on Dr. Rafil Dhafir, unjustly imprisoned for 22 years for the false
charge of medicare fraud because he sent aid to
Click
for information on the cases of Yassin Aref and Mohammed Hossain both sentenced
to 15 years on evidence that
**********
Call Congressional Switch Board free 1- 800-828-0498 and ask
for your congresswoman/man or senator to oppose the escalation in Iraq and call
for an immediate exit to be replaced by the UN, NATO, the Arab League and any
other peaceful consortium of countries that can help rebuild Iraq or how about
letting the Iraqis have their own country back and find their own internal
solutions. With war reparations from the
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The following statement from the
Dear Editor,
“The basis of our government being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right.” – Thomas Jefferson
The Chatham Peace Initiative joins many other members of our
local and national community in an endeavor to restore a sense of humanity to
our country and to ourselves as a people as we witness US war and destruction
abroad being perpetrated in our name. Open public dissent and discussion are
essential if we hope to peacefully effect changes in our national policies. The
Amendment 1: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of
religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of
speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and
to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Over the past four years the
The passage of the Patriot Act, the Military Commissions Act, and other repressive anti-Constitutional legislation initiated and promoted by the Bush Administration is evidence that the American people are losing faith in the ability to maintain a free and open society. CPI wonders if the fear and doubt fostered by our government’s policies is causing us to check our liberties at the village gate and at the national border.
CPI firmly believes that free speech and community discourse are an indispensable part of a free society. We will not be dissuaded from fulfilling our responsibility as citizens to verbalize our grievances against our government.
for the
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DONATIONS
We are in need of donations to cover the expense of
speakers, meeting room rental, mailings, phone calls and printing.
Donations can be made out to
A history of our work with Ansar Mahmood and championing the
rights of immigrants
(Click on the pictures below to bring up a page.)
Links
Past events
Upcoming Media