news

09.21.06

4 PDX SDS members were arrested at Senator Gordon Smith’s office in Portland as part of a national week of action for the Declaration of Peace. Along with 5 other citizen activists, the SDS members tried to visit Gordon Smith’s office and insist that he co-sponsor legislation to end the US military occupation of Iraq and sign the Declaration of Peace. The delegation of nonviolent civil resisters was prevented from entering the Senator’s office and was arrested by the Portland police outside the office building as they tried to send a message to Senator Smith and all of Oregon’s elected officials that the time has come to bring the troops home from Iraq.

Dozens of supporters rallied outside the World Trade Center declaring that the time has come for a change in Iraq. They gathered around a simulation of a destroyed Iraqi home dubbed, “rolling rubble.” The exhibit calls attention to the impact of the war on ordinary Iraqi families.

The Declaration of Peace is a nationwide campaign to establish a rapid and concrete plan for peace in Iraq, including:
* A prompt time table for withdrawal of troops and closure of bases
* A peace process for security, reconstruction and reconciliation
* And the shift of funding for war to meeting human needs

Activists across the country have been meeting with members of congress to ask them to sign the Declaration of Peace pledge. Portland’s Rep. Earl Blumenauer is the only member of the Oregon delegation to sign so far. Others include: Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA): Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-PA); Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA); Rep. John Lewis (D-GA); Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL); Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA).

The pledge asks members of Congress to support these bills:

In the U.S. House:
H.R. 4232: End the War in Iraq Act Introduced by Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA)
H.Con.Res.348: Expressing the sense of Congress with respect to accomplishing the mission in Iraq Introduced by Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA)
H.Con.Res.197: No Permanent Bases in Iraq Introduced by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA)

In the U.S. Senate:
S.Con.Res.93: Expressing the sense of Congress with respect to accomplishing the mission in Iraq Introduced by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)

Portland’s action is one of more than 300 events during the week of September 21-28 around the US that are part of the Declaration of Peace campaign, primarily targeting pro-war members of Congress. For more information visit http://declarationofpeace.org.

For photos of the action visit: Portland Indymedia or Portland Mercury

To see a video of the action visit: YouTube