One week to go! GET ON THE BUS for Sept. 24 anti-war protests

Sept 24-26 Weekend of Resistance Update / Less than one week to go! GET ON THE BUS for Sept. 24 anti-war protests

Troops Out Now Coalition

Many tens of thousands of determined opponents of U.S. war in Iraq will converge on Washington DC this week.

Schedule of information you will NEED this week or to support those traveling to DC.

1. Friday, Sept 23 Free the Cuba 5 - Women's Delegation to Deliver Letter to U.S. Attorney General Gonzalez on Cuba 5

2. Join the Katrina Solidarity Contingent--We need to make a strong connection between Katrina and the Antiwar Movement on September 24. The People of New Orleans & the Gulf States are depending on us. Katrina Solidarity Contigent: Sat, Sept 24 in the mass anti war march in D.C.

3. Logistical Information and Plans for Sept 24 March on Washington - Troops Out Now Coalition DC Office #, Friday Work Sessions, Contingents, March Route, TONC Tables and Banners, Bus Parking, etc, etc.

4. Donate to build a strong movement against War and Racism - From Iraq to New Orleans - Stop the War on the Poor - Troops OUT Now!

1. Friday, Sept 23 2 pm - Free the Cuba 5 - Women's Delegation to Deliver Letter to U.S. Attorney General Gonzalez on Cuba 5 Free the Five http://freethefiveny.org/upcoming.htm

Your help is needed to right a terrible wrong the Bush administration is committing--the continued imprisonment of the Cuban Five and their separation from family and loved ones. The Five--Antonio Guerrero, Fernando González, Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino and René González--have been unjustly incarcerated for seven long years.

The New York Free the Cuban Five Committee http://www.freethefiveny.org/ along with the National office of the Committee is seeking a delegation of women leaders to meet with U.S. Attorney-General Alberto González and put pressure on the U.S. government to let the Five go.

Your presence in this delegation at 2 pm on Friday would be of immense help. The Committee is proposing that as many of us as are able would gather at the U.S. Department of Justice on Friday, September 23 in Washington, D.C. And everyone is encouraged to sign on to the letter to be sent to Attorney-General Gonzalez. /(see http://freethefiveny.org/upcoming.htm for a copy of the letter)/

We expect representation from a broad range of human rights, peace, anti-prison, immigrant rights, women's, lesbian/gay/bi/trans, and other organizations.

Whether or not we get an appointment with the Attorney General, we would demand that he free the Cuban Five immediately. We would demand he grant visas to their families and loved ones for visitation until they go home to Cuba. The Bush administration has repeatedly blocked entry to the Five, so that, for instance, the daughter of René González has never seen her father, though she is a U.S.-born citizen.

We know that many thousands are coming to DC for the national anti-war actions on Sept. 24. Would you be willing to come a day early, on Sept. 23, and be part of the delegation to the Attorney General? Would you be willing to sign onto the letter to the Attorney General?

Let us stand together on Sept. 23rd! And we urge you to join the Free the Five contingents on Sept. 24^th , which will be part of a Latin America contingent scheduled to meet at 10:30 am at the Ellipse in the front of the White House.

We urge you to sign on this letter mailto:freethefiveny@action-mail.org , make an effort to go to D.C. on Friday, Sept 23rd and circulate for more signers.

To add your name as a signer of the letter, reply to: freethefiveny@action-mail.org mailto:freethefiveny@action-mail.org

for more information, see http://freethefiveny.org/upcoming.htm

2. Katrina Solidarity CONTINGENT: Sat, Sept 24 in the mass anti war march in DCTroops Out Now Coalition http://www.troopsoutnow.org

Saturday Sept 24 12:45 pm: Join the Katrina Solidarity Contingent with the Troops Out Now Coalition. We need to make a strong connection between Katrina and the Antiwar Movement on September 24. The People of New Orleans & the Gulf States are #2 #2 depending on us. #2

The outrage over New Orleans is a clarion call to the antiwar movement and grassroots activists across the country. The war and occupation of Iraq and the Katrina outrage have demonstrated to the world the urgent necessity for fundamental change, and a movement that is big enough and determined enough to achieve the goal. Katrina has exposed the ugly truths about class and race, poverty, war and militarism.

Our solidarity with the demands of the Katrina survivors must evolve from empathy, charity and symbolism to a mighty social force to be reckoned with. Key to this mighty potential will be the forging of a strong alliance with activists and leaders within the African American community in the Gulf States, taking direction from them regarding the kind of solidarity that they need and the demands they are making. Our demand to end the war in Iraq and to bring the troops home now must be backed up by the kind of mass tactics that signal we mean business.

The Contingent on September 24 will be a tangible expression of our solidarity with the people of the Gulf States and an important step towards building a movement that links the struggle against the war in Iraq with the struggle to demand justice for the survivors of Hurricane Katrina.

Join the Troops Out Now Coalition (TONC) and many others in a Katrina Solidarity Contingent gathering at 15th St between E & F Street. This contingent will be made of many diverse groups representing many different issues and struggles, all connected by the war-mongering agenda that created the Katrina human catastrophe and puts occupations and plunder around the world ahead of human needs and hurricane relief.

Help us distribute fliers on Solidarity with the Katrina Survivors, and bring signs representing your struggles as all join in solidarity with the Katrina survivors.

At 2 PM our contingent will step off into the March.

For more information, details, or to donate to help with organizing expenses: TroopsOutNow.org http://www.TroopsOutNow.org

3. Troops Out Now Coalition Logistical Information & Plans for the September 24 March on Washington

Washington Office All day Thursday and Friday and Saturday morning contact or stop by the Troops Out Now office in Washington, D.C.

Troops Out Now Coalition c/o St/ Stephens Church 1525 Newton St. NW (corner of Newton & 16th) (202) 232-0057

Weekend Schedule

Friday, September 23

2 pm to 7 pm: Join us at a major organizing, banner and sign making work session beginning at 2:pm at St. Stephens Church Office - Newton & 16th St, NW 2 pm: Women's Delegation to Deliver Letter to U.S. Attorney General Gonzalez on Cuba 5 calling for the freedom of the five and for an immediate granting of visas for the family to visit the prisoners until they are sent home. http://freethefiveny.org/upcoming.htm

7pm - 10pm: International Tribunal on Haiti, George Washington University, 1957 E Street NW, Elliott School of International Affairs, download flier http://www.iacenter.org/images/haiti092305.pdf

Saturday, September 24

Bus Drop off Pennsylvania Ave between 13th & 14th St.

Bus Parking/Pickup: Buses will be parked at the following Washington T stations. Demonstrators should proceed to those stations after the demo to find their bus. From the north/west: buses park at the Shady Grove station (northwest end of the Red Line). From the north/east: buses park at the Greenbelt station (northeast end of the Green Line). From the south/west: buses park at the Vienna station (west end of the Orange Line). From the south/east: buses park at the Branch Ave station (SOUTHEAST end of the GREEN line).

8 am: Set-up begins at the Ellipse behind the White House, directly North of the Washington Monument - 16th & Constitution.

Look for the tall TONC FLAGS and tables. Help us distribute placards, stickers, and fliers

10 am: TONC tent at Ellipse - Saturday morning at the Ellipse from 10 am until the march leaves about 1 pm. Look for the Troops Out Now Coalition tent with very tall FLAGS and long Troops Out Now banners.

11:30 am - 1 pm: Unified Rally of Sept 24th Coalition and United for Peace & Justice.

12:45 pm: Join the Katrina Solidarity Contingent with the Troops Out Now Coalition. We need to make a strong connection between Katrina and the Antiwar Movement on September 24. The People of New Orleans & the Gulf States are depending on us. #2Join TONC and many others in a Katrina Solidarity CONTINGENT gathering at 15th St between E & F Street. This contingent will be made of many diverse groups representing many different issues and struggles, all connected by the war-mongering agenda that created the Katrina human catastrophe and put occupations and plunder around the world ahead of human needs and hurricane relief. Help us distribute fliers on Solidarity with the Katrina Survivors, and bring signs representing your struggles as all join in solidarity with the Katrina survivors. At 2 pm our contingent will step off into the March.

1 pm: March to surround the White House begins. March Route: March exists the Ellipse at Constitution and 15th St, goes up 15th St to the White House, around the White House and back down 14th St to the Washington Monument Grounds.

3 pm: Look for the TONC's tall flags and tables on the grounds of the Washington Monument at the Operation Ceasefire Concert and Rally.

4 pm: Future Plans Meeting at the TONC tables at the Washington Monument grounds to discuss plans for the Katrina Solidarity Network, the Nationwide Strike against Poverty, Racism and War December 1-3, other future activities, and just to get to know each other.

5 pm: head to Metro to go to Bus Parking/Departure Locations: Buses will be parked at the following Washington T stations. Demonstrators should proceed to those stations after the demo to find their bus. From the north/west: buses park at the Shady Grove station (northwest end of the Red Line). From the north/east: buses park at the Greenbelt station (northeast end of the Green Line). From the south/west: buses park at the Vienna station (west end of the Orange Line). From the south/east: buses park at the Branch Ave station (southeast end of the Green Line).

7 PM: Late crew stays for final take-down

Literature: We welcome help with the distribution of the tens of thousands of our beautiful brochures, placards, and signs. Pick some up at our tent/table. Also, check back here for additional logistics information, or call 212-633-6646 or from Thursday through Sat. am (202) 232-0057. Sunday and Monday

Join TONC in a continued presence at the planned anti-war actions.

Call our office for updates over the weekend: Troops Out Now Coalition c/o St/ Stephens Church 1525 Newton St. NW (corner of Newton & 16th) (202) 232-0057

The devastation throughout the Gulf States after hurricane Katrina lays bare the real costs of endless war; it's essential that anti-war activists take this into account in the struggle in the period ahead. The new material produced by the Troops Out Now Coalition, the Nationwide Strike against Poverty, Racism and War Dec. 1-3, the Katrina Solidarity Network and the actions and plans of local activists will be organizing tools and living links between the war in Iraq and the racism, poverty and oppression here! The people are in motion. Shut the War Down! Billions for Relief, Not for War. See you in DC.

The Troops Out Now Coalition http://www.troopsoutnow.org

4. DONATE to build a strong movement against War and Racism - From Iraq to New Orleans - Stop the War on the Poor - Troops OUT Now!

We need your help with the expenses involved in mobilizing transportation and building for this national demonstration, and for continuing to build a national movement against poverty, racism, and war. Please consider making an on line donation at http://www.troopsoutnow.org/donate.shtml .

Buy your bus ticket online http://www.troopsoutnow.org/toncbus.shtml

Find a bus or organizing center near you http://www.troopsoutnow.org/s24/orgcents.shtml

Less than one week to go! GET ON THE BUS for Sept. 24 anti-war protests

BUY YOUR BUS TICKET ONLINE for Atlanta, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Buffalo waiting list and 9 NYC area locations including Jersey City, and Plainview, Long Island: at: http://www.troopsoutnow.org/toncbus.shtml (note: Buffalo bus currently full, but you can fill in this form to be added to the standby list. You will not be asked for payment information or charged)

DONATE to help the mobilization and to help others go, at: http://www.troopsoutnow.org/toncbus.shtml

Download flyers at http://www.troopsoutnow.org/literature.html

Volunteer to organize in your area at: http://www.troopsoutnow.org/orgcentersignup.html

Now more than ever! - All out to Washington on Sept. 24!

The events of the past few weeks make clear why we must have a massive mobilization on the streets on September 24.September 24 Washington DC http://www.troopsoutnow.org

The winds of Hurricane Katrina have laid bare the racism and brutality that lie at the core of this system. City, State, and Federal Authorities knew, in great detail, what damage a Category 4 hurricane would cause to the city of New Orleans, and they chose to do nothing.

They had several days warning that the storm was coming, plenty of time to mount a massive evacuation that could have saved thousands of lives. Again, they chose to do nothing.

And while people were dying on the streets, the Federal government did nothing to get food, water, and medicine to the region; in fact, they turned back individuals and groups attempting to bring relief.

We cannot talk about the devastation of loss of life caused by the refusal of the government to act without discussing the fact that those who were left behind to die were mostly poor and Black. They were left die in the streets of dehydration while a racist government labeled those trying to get food and water for themselves and their families as "looters." (To hear an audio reportback from the Troops Out Now factfinding delegation, click here )

The real looters are the politicians of both parties who allowed this to happen, the warmongers who have opened up a global war against working and poor people. On Wednesday of last week, they executed Frances Newton, an innocent black woman, in Texas, adding another death to the tragic number of black people they have killed in the past few weeks.

The warmongers in Washington are dangerous, and they must be stopped. Politicians won't stop them-- both parties supported the war and are even now competing to see who can sound the most bloodthirsty. It's up to us to build a massive, multinational, militant movement to stop them.

The events of the past week have demonstrated clearly that we cannot limit protests to talking only about the war in Iraq. Working people, who are under attack from every side, don't have the luxury of being single-issue. We must open up a challenge on all fronts--to fight an empire, you need an anti-imperialist movement, a movement that will fight back alongside workingand oppressed people here and that will challenge, not only the occupation of Iraq, but of Palestine, Haiti, Afghanistan, and elsewhere.

The Sept. 24 protest in Washington is the next mass action to confront Bush. It looks like it will be a big one. It is bringing out not only the tens of thousands who protested before the war began, but new layers of the population for the first time. The country is starting to understand that it's not the Iraqis, who caused this horrible war. It's Bush and his gang. And it wasn't hurricane Katrina that has caused the death of thousands. It was criminal neglect.

Join us on the streets of DC on September 24! http://www.troopsoutnow.org/toncbus.shtml

Get your bus tickets on-line!

It is now possible to BUY YOUR BUS TICKET ONLINE for Atlanta, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Buffalo (waiting list) and 9 NYC area locations including Jersey City, and Plainview, Long Island. You can also specify a donation to help others get to the demonstration. Go to: http://www.troopsoutnow.org/toncbus.shtml

For an updated list of organizing centers, see http://www.troopsoutnow.org/s24/orgcents.shtml

Other ways to get involved:

Download flyers at http://www.troopsoutnow.org/literature.shtml http://www.troopsoutnow.org/literature.html Volunteer to organize in your area at: http://www.troopsoutnow.org/orgcentersignup.html

For more information, go to: http://www.troopsoutnow.org

For more information contact:
Troops Out Now Coalition
39 W. 14th St #206
New York, NY 10011
212-633-6646
info@troopsoutnow.org
http://us.f600.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=info@troopsoutnow.org
http://www.troopsoutnow.org

DONATE http://www.troopsoutnow.org/toncbus.shtml to help the mobilization and to help others go, at: http://www.troopsoutnow.org/toncbus.shtml