[pjw] EVENT UPDATES: "Mother of All Protests" rally/march Sunday 5/14, 2 PM at PSU (Mother's day)

[Peace and Justice Works]

Hey Iraq Affinity Group supporters
Below is an updated version of the event announcement for Sunday's "Mother 
of All Protests." We've got a couple of new cosponsors including the 
Portland State University Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Department! 
There's also a link to the (updated) flyer, and a quote from Pope Francis 
about the mis-use of the term "Mother" in referring to a bomb.
Spread widely; see you Sunday!
dan h
peace and justice works iraq affinity group

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Peace and Justice Works
      Iraq Affinity Group
      PO Box 42456
      Portland, OR 97242
      (503) 236-3065 (Office)
      iraq @ pjw.info
      http://www.pjw.info/Iraq.html

News Item/Calendar Listing

For immediate release May 8, 2017

                      EVENT: "The Mother of All Protests"
                         Sunday, May 14, 2017, 2:00 PM
               March and rally to reclaim Mother's Day for peace
      Walk of Heroines, Portland State University, SW Harrison and 10th.

Peace and Justice Works will host a rally and march on Sunday, May 14,
Mother's Day, titled "The Mother of All Protests." We will gather at 2
PM at the Walk of Heroines at Portland State University, SW Harrison St
& 10th Av (note: Streets do not go through to the Walk, which is on
block north of the Park Blocks).

PJW rejects the terminology and use of the "Mother of All Bombs" in
Afghanistan, dropping bombs on Syria, killing civilians in Iraq,
rattling the sabre in North Korea, and other warmongering by the US
government. The militarism is connected to other domestic and foreign
policy issues that are quickly taking us further into the World War the
US started after 9/11.

This is a peaceful march and rally, to foreground women and women's
roles in creating Mother's day over 100 years ago as a day for world
peace. Julia Ward Howe wrote in 1870 about an international women's
congress which would "promote the alliance of the different
nationalities, the amicable settlement of international questions, the
great and general interests of Peace."

Part of the reclamation is to stop using the term "the Mother of" to
mean "the largest of" or "the event to end all other events." It means
the origin of, or one who gives birth to-- as the origin of Mother's
day gave birth to this demonstration.

On May 6, Pope Francis condemned the US' naming of its bomb, saying: "I
was ashamed when I heard the name. A mother gives life and this one
gives death, and we call this device a mother. What is happening?"
(Reuters, May 6).

Coordinated by Peace and Justice Works Iraq Affinity Group. Cosponsors
include Women's International League for Peace and Freedom-Portland,
Veterans for Peace Chap. 72, Recruiter Watch PDX, Portland Fellowship
of Reconciliation, War Resisters League-Portland and the Portland State
University Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Department. Endorsers
include Women's March on Portland and Little Light of Mine Friends
Worship Group.

For more information contact Peace and Justice Works at 503-236-3065 or
pjw @ pjw.info. A flyer for the event can be found at 
http://www.pjw.info/mother_of_protests_flyer.pdf .