[pjw] ACTION REMINDER: "18 Years and 8 Convictions: Time to Shut Guantanamo" Fri 1/10/20 4:30 PM

[Peace and Justice Works]

Hi again PJW supporters

Several things here along with the final reminder about tomorrow's 
expanded (4:30-6 PM) PPRC Friday Rally:

1) While we have folks helping us load up and carry away the Tower of 
Peace, it would be great to have two people willing to stay behind in the 
square for about 1/2 hour while we're on the march to watch the tower. 
This is a great task for someone who can be there but isn't up for 
marching.

2) CODEPINK has endorsed the event and is added to the announcement, 
below.

3) Amnesty International Group 48 (one of the cosponsors) will be hosting 
a film screening of "The Report" at 6:30 PM right after the rally. It 
will include a potluck, and is taking place at First Unitarian Church 
in the Buchan Building room A108.

"The Report" is an important film about the torture of detainees in 
Guantanamo Bay and elsewhere, and the work by a Senate staffer to shine 
light on this U.S. abuse of human rights law. Attendees are encouraged to 
bring food if they'd like to participate in the potluck.

I think I mentioned in an earlier email that to keep Amnesty involved the 
theme of our event has to stay focused on Guantanamo, but we can have 
signs about and talk about Iran, which I expect will happen!

4) The meeting of the Iraq Affinity Group coming up is on Monday, January 
13 at 7 PM-- I put the date as the 14th in yesterday's announcement, sorry 
for any confusion.

5) The House is poised to vote on a resolution to limit Trump's ability to 
engage in war with Iran. I'm fairly sure our 6-of-7 congressional 
delegates in Oregon will be on board with this idea; we need to be 
contacting our friends in other states to encourage Republicans to join 
in. Several Republicans seem less than thrilled with the explanation they 
got in a closed briefing about why the US assassinated Iranian General 
Qasem Soleimani.

6) I appeared on Theresa Mitchell's Presswatch show on KBOO this morning 
at 9 AM-- meant to give a heads up but forgot. As I'm writing this, the 
audio isn't posted on line yet but should be soon at
https://kboo.fm/audio

I think that's all for now. Be sure to let people know about our event!
dan handelman
peace and justice works iraq affinity group

-----------------------

The below info is online at
http://www.pjw.info/guantanamo_18yl.html

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

NEWS ITEM

For immediate release                    January 9, 2020


               18 Years and 8 Convictions: Time to Shut Guantanamo
                          Visibility action, rally and march
                   Expanded PPRC Friday Rally for Peace and Justice
                               Friday, January 10, 2020
                                   4:30 PM - 6:00 PM

January 11, 2020 marks 18 years since the opening of the US prison camp in 
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Once again, local human rights, peace and justice 
organizations are planning a visibility action, rally and march on Friday, 
January 10 to mark the occasion with the theme "18 Years and 8 
Convictions: Time to Shut Guantanamo. The action is an expanded Portland 
Peaceful Response Friday Rally for peace and justice, taking place from 
4:30 PM* to 6:00 PM at the corner of SW Yamhill and Broadway, Pioneer 
Courthouse Square. Cosponsoring the event are the Peace and Justice Works 
Iraq Affinity Group, Amnesty International Group 48 and CODEPINK.

The prison now holds just 40 people (from a height of nearly 800 at one 
point), and stands as a symbol of the United States' deteriorating respect 
for due process, human rights and the rule of law. Out of the hundreds of 
people imprisoned, only eight have ever been convicted. Others have grown 
old while being indefinitely detained, prompting the installation of 
wheelchair ramps rather than freeing the prisoners. In early 2018, 
President Trump reversed President Obama's policy directive that called to 
find a way to shut down Guantanamo.Local Portland groups join worldwide 
voices calling to Close Guantanamo Now!

A flyer for the event is available at 
http://www.pjw.info/gitmo18yl_flyer.pdf .

PPRC's rallies began in November, 2001 shortly after the US war on 
Afghanistan began. The January 10 event marks the 950th consecutive week 
that PPRC has been at this corner protesting, rain or shine.

For more information contact Peace and Justice Works at (503) 236-3065 
(call or text) or iraq at pjw.info.

*- PPRC rallies usually start at 5 PM but this event will begin at 4:30.