Support the Anti-War Committee!

December 2017

Dear AWC Supporters,

In 2017, the Anti-War Committee (AWC) has been central to organizing against Trump’s bigotry and repression, countering the Muslim Ban, resistance to the escalation of the wars in Afghanistan and Syria, and solidarity for a free Palestine.  Your support has been key to the work and the level of resistance that has developed this year; so many thanks are extended.

Resistance To Trump’s Anti-Muslim Bigotry and Racism

Even before 2017 began, our Human Rights Day protest on December 10, 2016 took aim at Trump’s agenda of bigotry and racism.  AWC then continued to be on the frontlines of opposition, joining the Resist From Day One Coalition to organize the inauguration day protest.  This coalition consisted of more than 80 grassroot organizations and brought over 6000 people together to protest the issues that Trump’s election has highlighted. The Anti-War Committee responded immediately when Trump first announced the Muslim ban and called for an emergency protest on January 31st.  This protest, one of the largest in Minneapolis in years, drew over 15,000 people to downtown Minneapolis, and made connections between endless US wars, racist anti-Muslim rhetoric and how Trump’s right-wing agenda must be resisted.  The Anti-War Committee joined with the No More Deportations Campaign, the Resist from Day One Coalition,  and the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) to organize more protest actions against the Muslim ban, the wall on the US-Mexico border, and Trump’s war threats throughout the year.  Our voices raised with those around the country have been instrumental in blocking Trump’s repeated attempts to use immigration law to place barriers in the way of immigrants fleeing the effects of U.S. wars and military intervention.   As Trump’s racist rhetoric emboldened white supremacists to come out from under their rocks, the Anti-War Committee has been in the forefront by co-organizing counter-protests when white supremacists and anti-Muslim bigots have rallied at the state Capitol.

Opposing Endless US Wars

In 2017, we marked anniversaries of invasions of countries including Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya.  Together with other local groups, like the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition, we organized and joined in protests and call-in days to oppose ongoing or escalating military interventions in other countries such as Syria, Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen and Niger.  We organized anti-imperialist education events about Korea and joined in national weeks of actions and other protests to oppose outrageous war threats and provocations against North Korea, Iran and Venezuela.

Challenging Political Repression and Solidarity with Palestine

In 2017 we continued the solidarity and defense work in support of Rasmea Odeh,  a Palestinian- American organizer in Chicago politically-targeted for her association with the Arab American Action Network, and by extension with the AWC.  In the end, Rasmea made the difficult decision to accept a plea agreement, being forced to leave the US without being detained. We have stood by her throughout the process and members of our Committee were able to go to Chicago to wish her well at the celebration of her resistance before she left for her new life abroad.  In May, the Anti-War Committee organized a bannering at the Walker Library in Minneapolis to commemorate “Al Nakba” (the Catastrophe) and marking 69 years of occupation.  In July, the AWC organized  the world premiere screening of Palestine: Why the Caged Dove Sings, a documentary made by Sabry Wazwaz, a Palestinian-American and member of the Anti-War Committee, with  over 180 people attending.

We could not have done our work in solidarity with our local movements and the people of Palestine, Colombia, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Korea, and against anti-Muslim bigotry and political repression without you!  Thank you for coming to demonstrations, making phone calls, and being a voice for peace and justice in your community!  

The Anti-War Committee is a grassroots, all volunteer organization.  We hope you can support our work by contributing financially to this important activism.  Your tax-deductible donation will be spent locally funding peace organizing.  If you prefer to donate online please go to antiwarcommittee.org.

Peace,

Kent Mori

For the Anti-War Committee