Proposed Call to Action! No to NATO/G-8 Warmakers! No to War and Austerity!

You are invited to attend a Chicago/National Planning Meeting

Sunday, August 28,
9:00 AM – 6:00 PM,
Kent College of Law, Room C50
565 West Adams Street, Chicago, Illinois

At the invitation of the White House, military and civilian representatives of the 28-nation U.S.-commanded and largely U.S.-financed North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and heads of state and leaders of the G-8 world economic powers are convening to Chicago, May 15-22, 2012.

The U.S./NATO military behemoth enforces the interests of the global great power elites. $Trillions are expended for never-ending wars and occupations while $trillions in austerity programs are extracted from working people the world over.

The G-8 nations, the richest on earth, will assemble to plan ever new draconian measures seeking to resolve the problems created by their crisis-ridden and profit-driven social order at the expense of working people and the poor everywhere.

Theirs is the agenda of the heads of state of the world’s richest nations and their imperial military-industrial establishments – the agenda of the banks and corporations – the agenda for austerity, unprecedented social cutbacks, union-busting, environmental destruction, global warming/climate crisis, racism, sexism, homophobia, deepening attacks on civil liberties, democratic rights and never-ending war.

Ours is the agenda for humanity’s future. We will mobilize in the tens of thousands from cities across the U.S. and around the world. On Tuesday, May 15, the opening day of the NATO/G-8 deliberations, we will announce our agenda with a press conference, rally and peaceful march. On Saturday, May 19 we will mobilize for a massive march and rally – exercising our democratic rights to peaceful assembly to demand:

• Bring All U.S./NATO Troops, Mercenaries & War Contractors Home Now! Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Libya, the Middle East and Elsewhere.
• End U.S./NATO Aid to Israel! End U.S./NATO Aid to the Occupation of Palestine! End the Siege of Gaza! No to Threats of War Against Iran! End the Sanctions Now!
• Trillions for Jobs, Housing, Education, Health Care, Pensions and the Environment! No to Attacks on Unions, Cutbacks, Layoffs, Mortgage Foreclosures and Austerity! Bring the War Dollars Home!
• Tax the Rich, Not Working People! No to Corporate and Bank Bailouts!
• End Racist Attacks on Muslim and Arab Communities! End Racist Attacks on Blacks, Latinos and Immigrants! Full Legal Rights for All!
• Civil liberties for All!

We will demand that our guaranteed civil liberties and democratic rights be respected – that our rights to peaceful assembly and political protest be honored – that the voices of the people not be stifled!

The following organizations are among the initial Chicago-area endorsers.

Hatem Abudayyeh, *US Palestinian Community Network, Chicago
Bill Chambers, Committee Against Political Repression
Sarah Chambers, Executive Board Member, Chicago Teachers Union
Mark Clements, Campaign to End the Death Penalty
Vince Emmanuelle, *Iraq Veterans Against the War
Randy Evans, Global Reach, Inc.
Chris Geovanis, Hammerhard Media Works
Pat Hunt, Chicago Area Code Pink, Chicago Area Peace Action
Joe Iosbaker, Committee to Stop FBI Repression
Dennis Kosuth, *National Nurses United, union steward
Kait McIntyre, Students for a Democratic Society, University of Illinois – Chicago
Jorge Mujica, March 10th Immigrant Rights Activist
Kathy Kelly, Voices for Creative Nonviolence
Eric Ruder, *Chicago Network to Send US Boat to Gaza
Newland Smith, Episcopalian Peace Fellowship
Sarah Smith, Committee to Stop FBI Repression
Students for Justice in Palestine at School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, *Chicago Anti-Eviction Campaign
Andy Thayer, Gay Liberation Network and Chicago Coalition Against War and Racism
*for identification purposes only

A national coordinating committee and its Chicago counterpart, open to and inclusive of the direct and democratic participation of all antiwar and social justice organizations is in formation. Join us!
Endorse the May 15 and May 19, 2012 Chicago mobilizations against the NATO-G-8 warmakers.

Contact: [Proposed name of new organization] No to NATO/G-8 Warmakers: A National Network Opposing War and Austerity
List 3-4 email addresses of Chicago and national network leaders: Establish a website and new national email address, etc.

The May 15 and 19, 2012 mobilizations were initiated by the United National Antiwar Committee (UNAC) in partnership with antiwar and social justice groups in Chicago, across the U.S. and internationally. At its June 18, NYC National Coordinating Committee meeting of UNAC the 47 groups present unanimously adopted a resolution to protest the NATO/G8 meetings. The groups that were present are listed below.
Action for a Progressive Pakistan
Al-Awda Palestine Right to Return Coalition – NY
Bayan-USA
Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace
Bail Out the People Movement
Black Agenda Report
Black is Back
Boston Stop the Wars
Code Pink
Committee to Stop FBI Repression
Ct. United for Peace
Fellowship of Reconciliation
Green Party
Haiti Liberte’
Hampshire Students for Justice in Palestine
Honduras Resistencia – USA
International Action Center
International Support Haiti Network
International League of People’s Struggle
International Socialist Organization
Islamic Leadership Council of Metropolitan NY
Jersey City Peace Movement
May 1st Workers and Immigrant Rights Coalition
Mobilization Against War and Occupation – Canada
Metro West Peace Action
Middle East Crisis Committee
Muslim Peace Coalition
New England United
Nodutdol Korean Community Development
Pakistan Solidarity Network
Philly Against War
Project Salam
Rhode Island Mobilization Committee
Rochester Against War
SI – Solidarity with Iran
Socialist Action
Socialist Party USA
Thomas MertonCenter Pittsburgh
Veterans for Peace
Voices for Creative Nonviolence
West Hartford Citizens for Peace
WESPAC
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
Workers World
World Can’t Wait