<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" ><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;"><h1><font size="5">An Open Letter <br>
</font></h1>
<p style="font-style: italic;">[Please forward widely]</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>16 July 2008</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>In six weeks, the Democrats meet in Denver.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>As
recent news makes clear, an attack on Iran could happen before the
election, driving the Bush Agenda into the next administration, whoever
the president is.<br>
</p>
<p>Who will stop an attack on Iran?</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>Not
the Democrats who secretly authorized military operations George Bush
already has underway inside Iran. Not the Democratic leaders—including
Senator Obama—who insist, again and again, that “all options” remain on
the table for military action against Iran, including the use of
nuclear weapons!</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>Not the Democrats who, in their
majority, including Obama, not only sanctioned retroactive immunity for
the large telecom companies who went along with Bush and spied on
people, but have given them prospective immunity in expanded government
spying.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>This war now belongs to the Democrats no
less than the Republicans. If it is left to McCain and Obama, the
occupation will continue for years. It was wrong to go into Iraq, it’s
wrong to stay in Iraq, it’s wrong not to get out now!</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>If
there is not a strong showing from the anti-war movement against this
whole direction outside the convention, it will signal those who make
war and the victims of these wars around the world that the people of
this country will go along with continued occupation, with McCain or
Obama sending many more troops to Afghanistan, and with threats to
Iran. The Bush regime promised a war to last generations. Are we
against this, or not?</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>The anti-war movement must
set a standard of resistance, not accommodate what is intolerable. Only
the people—not the politicians—can force open debate over why the U.S.
occupation must end now. Only we can act on our convictions, letting
others know that an end to the illegal, unjust and immoral wars and
occupations will not happen without massive mobilization of the people,
and that putting all your hopes and energies into the elections will
not bring the change millions desire.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>Some people
say protest does not work. They are WRONG! What does not work is
passivity in the face of a government being more widely exposed as
committing war crimes and a public increasingly sickened by what is
being done in their name. If the anti-war movement was so ineffectual
why did the <em>New York Times</em> have to call it the “other superpower”?</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>Whether
one plans on voting for Obama or not, we all must be in the streets
making our clear opposition to torture, bloody occupations and any new
war against Iran vividly clear. People are traveling the country to
campaign for Obama. With a strong call from the anti-war movement, some
will be willing to bring an anti-war message to Denver.</p>
<p>Local
Denver activists have gone to court for permits for political protest
outside the convention, and have permits for nearby parks. Recreate68
plans a march against the war on Sunday August 24, the day before the
convention starts. The Alliance for Real Democracy, another coalition,
is currently not planning to join this march.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>Whatever
differences exist, they pale in comparison to the responsibility those
of us who are not at peace with being at war have to stop the U.S.
occupation of the Middle East. The world needs to see us in the streets
in Denver, marching together on the eve of the convention opening.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>If
you’re concerned this protest will be too small, you’re not alone. The
people in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan & Pakistan whose lives may be
lost to further US aggression share that concern. It is the
responsibility of those of us who know the devastation and misery the
continued occupation of Iraq and an attack on Iran would bring to the
world, to struggle to bring many more forward to participate in this.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>This
is a call to MARCH together with the demand Stop the War in
Iraq/Afghanistan, and Stop an Attack on Iran! You could have separate
rallies and speakers at different sites in the park, but call out the
many thousands of people to march together.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>We
will join with others in mobilizing everyone who has ever been against
this war, and all those who know in their hearts this is wrong, to be
in the streets of Denver, standing with the people of the world and
refusing to be party to these wars.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>We the undersigned will do all we can to get people to Denver to participate.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>(signed)</p>
<p>Missy Beattie<br>
Fr. Bob Bossie, SCJ<br>
Elaine Brower<br>
Tim Carpenter<br>
Barbara Cohen<br>
Mark Cohen<br>
Jesse Diaz<br>
Daniel Ellsberg<br>
Larry Everest<br>
C. Clark Kissinger<br>
Ron Kovic<br>
Dennis Loo<br>
Camilo Mejia<br>
Cynthia McKinney<br>
Dede Miller<br>
Tom Morello<br>
Jorge Mujica<br>
Maria T. Pizzaro<br>
Mark Ruffalo <br>
Cindy Sheehan<br>
David Swanson<br>
Debra Sweet<br>
Sunsara Taylor<br>
Ann Wright<br>
Kevin Zeese<br>
Howard Zinn</p>
</blockquote>
<br><br><div id="RTEContent"><div id="RTEContent"><div><strong> </strong><em></em><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Declare It Now! Wear Orange!</span><br>Impeach Bush & Cheney for War Crimes<br>& Crimes against Humanity!<br></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 127, 64); font-weight: bold;"></span></div></div></div></td></tr></table><br>