FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 25, 2004
Scott Lynch, Communications Director 301.565.4050 x 330
mobile 703.725.5680
Fahrenheit 9/11 Moviegoers Turn Up the Heat
Silver Spring MD—Anti-war activists kick off weekend of Action Against the Occupation with leafleting at theaters nationwide Friday, then rallies and vigils in 40 cities calling for withdrawal of troops from Iraq.
Peace Action and the nation’s two largest anti-war coalitions -- United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) and Win Without War – are calling on their members to use the occasion of the opening of Michael Moore’s red hot documentary film to distribute massive quantities of leaflets to moviegoers advocating a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
This weekend, June 25-27, people in more than 40 cities around the nation will be taking action -- calling for an immediate start to a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. The events come as tide of public opinion is turning; new polls indicate that 70% of Americans believe there have been an unacceptable number of casualties in Iraq. According to the Coalition Provisional Authority's own poll, 81% of Iraqis have no confidence in Coalition or U.S. military forces.
United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) and Win Without War, have called for the weekend of actions just before the June 30th "transfer of power" in Iraq. The coalitions have urged local groups to organize rallies, marches, vigils, educational forums, and other activities to express the deep and growing opposition to Bush administration Iraq polices.
With the message: President Bush: End the Occupation of Iraq, Bring the Troops Home, organizers will be leafleting at local premier showings of "Fahrenheit 9/11" on Friday, June 25th
"The June 30th 'transfer' of sovereignty is nothing but another deception by the Bush administration-a PR stunt." said, Kevin Martin, Executive Director of Peace Action. There will be no national sovereignty for Iraq when the country will continue to be occupied by 140,000 U.S. troops and Bush administration bureaucrats will continue to hold veto power over the puppet Iraqi government.
If Iraq is to stabilize and real democracy is going to bloom, the provocation of the insurgency - the U.S. troops-must be removed. "The majority of the people of this country are against Bush's handling of Iraq, the Iraqi people want the U.S. troops out. It's time to bring our troops home," concluded Martin.
A list of activities on the June 25-27th weekend can be viewed at http://www.unitedforpeace.org/.
Peace Action, (the merger of Sane and The Nuclear Freeze), is the United States' largest peace and disarmament organization.
