santacruz coalition

On Tuesday, February 27th, the City Council of Santa Cruz, CA put Santa Cruz on record as the first community in the country to officially oppose the use of preemptive military force against the sovereign country of Iran, whether overt or covert!

By a vote of 5 to 2, the Council passed the resolution below, which also included strong language about an immediate withdrawal from Iraq!

Over 75 community members attended, and many spoke on behalf of the resolution – the council also received dozens of emails and phone calls supporting them in taking this action – there were no negative public comments or messages received.

Mayor Emily Reilly and Council Members can be reached at 831-420-5020 or emily reilly <ereilly@ci.santa-cruz.ca.us> mike rotkin <mrotkin@ci.santa-cruz.ca.us>, cynthia mathews <cmathews@ci.santa-cruz.ca.us>, ryan coonerty <rcoonerty@ci.santa-cruz.ca.us>, tony madrigal <tmadrigal@ci.santa-cruz.ca.us>, ed porter <eporter@ci.santa-cruz.ca.us>, lynn robinson <lrobinson@ci.santa-cruz.ca.us

(fyi: Ryan Coonerty and Lynn Robinson were the dissenting votes)

activist contacts include:
Sherry Conable  831-459-7259
Louis Lafortune  831-588-8487
Celia Scott  831-423-0796

this grassroots initiated action was organized and cosponsored by:
Veterans for Peace Chapter 11 of Santa Cruz, CodePink Santa Cruz, the Green Party of SC, the Peace & Freedom Party of SC, the Coalition for Impeachment Now!, Students Against War, Women in Black of SC, the United Nations Association of SC, the Buddhist Peace Fellowship of SC, the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom of SC, and the People’s Democratic Club of SC

(passed by Santa Cruz City Council, 5 to 2, Feb 27, 2007)
RESOLUTION OPPOSING U.S. MILITARY INVOLVEMENT IN IRAQ AND IRAN

Whereas, current U.S. foreign policy in the middle-east is clearly counterproductive with respect to the interests of the American people and the peoples of the middle-east; and

Whereas, the initial invasion of Iraq was based on deliberately falsified information about non-existent “weapons of mass destruction” and alleged ties between Sadam Hussein and Al Quaeda in Iraq presented by the Bush Administration to the U.S. Congress, the United Nations, and the American people; and

Whereas, continued presence of the U.S. military in Iraq as an occupying army ­ a situation which has already gone on longer than the U.S. involvement in World War II — cannot possibly lead to peace and/or a stable and sovereign Iraq under the control of the people of Iraq; and

Whereas, the increase or “surge” in American soldiers proposed by the Bush Administration cannot lead to a successful outcome of the war in Iraq; and

Whereas, polls conducted by the most reputable and accurate U.S. polling organizations have shown that the vast majority of Iraqis want the United States military to leave their country and that a significant majority of the Iraqis, whom our soldiers are ostensibly there to protect, also now support killing American troops; and

Whereas, the Bush Administration is now circulating information of dubious authenticity about the involvement of the government of Iran in importing weapons and explosive devises into Iraq ­ a claim about which the U.S. commander on the ground in Iraq has cast serious doubt; and

Whereas, the Administration’s questionable information about Iran follows exactly the same pattern as their lies that led to the ill-considered and ill-fated invasion and occupation of Iraq; and

Whereas, the U.S. release of information about the alleged involvement of Iran in providing weapons in Iraq is clearly intended to justify an attack on Iran

Whereas, such an attack and widening of the U.S. war in the middle-east is almost certain to drive forces in Iran who are friendly to the United States into increased hatred and hostility toward the United States and its citizens, once again making potential friends into virulent enemies ­ as the Bush Administration has done consistently in their misguided approach to foreign policy; and

Whereas, the Bush Administration’s approach to the war in Iraq have cost the lives of over 3,000 American soldiers, the serious maiming of over 26,000 American soldiers, and the death and maiming of countless hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians as well as the waste of over $400,000,000,000 of American tax dollars that might have been put to much better use in serving the education, health care, job training, housing, human services, and other domestic needs of the residents of Santa Cruz and throughout the United States; and

Whereas, the vast majority of the American public, both through the electoral process in November 2006 and as demonstrated in public opinion polls, now have expressed a clear desire for the complete and rapid withdrawal of American military forces from Iraq; and

Whereas, significant numbers of local Santa Cruz citizens have asked the Santa Cruz City Council to represent their opposition to the continued U.S. military occupation of Iraq, the expansion of the war in Iraq, and its spread to neighboring countries; and

Whereas, the California State Legislature is now also considering actions to express its opposition to the current approach of the Bush Administration’s policies in the middle-east; and

Whereas, the Santa Cruz City Council has been asked by our local citizens to play a role in amplifying their support for strong Congressional action to oppose the current policies of the Bush Administration in the middle-east and to support the actions already taken by our Congressmember Sam Farr and others to that end:

Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the Santa Cruz City Council does hereby express its support for the strong leadership being taken by our Congressional Representative Sam Farr and other members of Congress to limit the war authority of the Bush Administration with respect to continuing and/or expanding the war in Iraq or taking, or supporting, or encouraging any military action against Iran, which includes support for Congressmember Sam Farr’s HR 33, Congressmember Barbara Lee’s HR 770 with respect to Iran and HR 413, HR 508, and HR 4232 [check final bill numbers] with respect to expanding U.S. troops in Iraq, and any other Congressional actions calling for the immediate and/or most rapid possible withdrawal of American military forces from Iraq, Iran, and the surrounding countries; and

Be It Further Resolved, that the Santa Cruz City Council does hereby request that our California U.S. Senators Boxer and Feinstein join our Congressmember Sam Farr by providing leadership in the U.S. Senate in support of Congress re-establishing its Constitutional authority over U.S. foreign policy and war policy and funding; and

Be It Further Resolved, that the Santa Cruz City Council does hereby request that our California State Legislators, Assemblymember John Laird and State Senator Joe Simitian, provide leadership in the California legislature in support of State Senator Carole Migden’s Senate Joint Resolution (SJR 1) calling for a rapid withdrawal of the U.S. military occupation of Iraq; and

Be It Further Resolved, that the Santa Cruz City Council directs Mayor Emily Reilly to send copies of this Resolution to the President of the United States, our Congressional representatives, our California legislative representatives, the League of California Cities, and all local media outlets; and to arrange that a copy of this resolution be placed on the Santa Cruz City website.

Whereas, current U.S. foreign policy in the middle-east is clearly counterproductive with respect to the interests of the American people and the peoples of the middle-east; and

Whereas, the initial invasion of Iraq was based on deliberately falsified information about non-existent “weapons of mass destruction” and alleged ties between Sadam Hussein and Al Quaeda in Iraq presented by the Bush Administration to the U.S. Congress, the United Nations, and the American people; and

Whereas, continued presence of the U.S. military in Iraq as an occupying army ­ a situation which has already gone on longer than the U.S. involvement in World War II — cannot possibly lead to peace and/or a stable and sovereign Iraq under the control of the people of Iraq; and

Whereas, the increase or “surge” in American soldiers proposed by the Bush Administration cannot lead to a successful outcome of the war in Iraq; and

Whereas, polls conducted by the most reputable and accurate U.S. polling organizations have shown that the vast majority of Iraqis want the United States military to leave their country and that a significant majority of the Iraqis, whom our soldiers are ostensibly there to protect, also now support killing American troops; and

Whereas, the Bush Administration is now circulating information of dubious authenticity about the involvement of the government of Iran in importing weapons and explosive devises into Iraq ­ a claim about which the U.S. commander on the ground in Iraq has cast serious doubt; and

Whereas, the Administration’s questionable information about Iran follows exactly the same pattern as their lies that led to the ill-considered and ill-fated invasion and occupation of Iraq; and

Whereas, the U.S. release of information about the alleged involvement of Iran in providing weapons in Iraq is clearly intended to justify an attack on Iran

Whereas, such an attack and widening of the U.S. war in the middle-east is almost certain to drive forces in Iran who are friendly to the United States into increased hatred and hostility toward the United States and its citizens, once again making potential friends into virulent enemies ­ as the Bush Administration has done consistently in their misguided approach to foreign policy; and

Whereas, the Bush Administration’s approach to the war in Iraq have cost the lives of over 3,000 American soldiers, the serious maiming of over 26,000 American soldiers, and the death and maiming of countless hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians as well as the waste of over $400,000,000,000 of American tax dollars that might have been put to much better use in serving the education, health care, job training, housing, human services, and other domestic needs of the residents of Santa Cruz and throughout the United States; and

Whereas, the vast majority of the American public, both through the electoral process in November 2006 and as demonstrated in public opinion polls, now have expressed a clear desire for the complete and rapid withdrawal of American military forces from Iraq; and

Whereas, significant numbers of local Santa Cruz citizens have asked the Santa Cruz City Council to represent their opposition to the continued U.S. military occupation of Iraq, the expansion of the war in Iraq, and its spread to neighboring countries; and

Whereas, the California State Legislature is now also considering actions to express its opposition to the current approach of the Bush Administration’s policies in the middle-east; and

Whereas, the Santa Cruz City Council has been asked by our local citizens to play a role in amplifying their support for strong Congressional action to oppose the current policies of the Bush Administration in the middle-east and to support the actions already taken by our Congressmember Sam Farr and others to that end:

Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the Santa Cruz City Council does hereby express its support for the strong leadership being taken by our Congressional Representative Sam Farr and other members of Congress to limit the war authority of the Bush Administration with respect to continuing and/or expanding the war in Iraq or taking, or supporting, or encouraging any military action against Iran, which includes support for Congressmember Sam Farr’s HR 33, Congressmember Barbara Lee’s HR 770 with respect to Iran and HR 413, HR 508, and HR 4232 [check final bill numbers] with respect to expanding U.S. troops in Iraq, and any other Congressional actions calling for the immediate and/or most rapid possible withdrawal of American military forces from Iraq, Iran, and the surrounding countries; and

Be It Further Resolved, that the Santa Cruz City Council does hereby request that our California U.S. Senators Boxer and Feinstein join our Congressmember Sam Farr by providing leadership in the U.S. Senate in support of Congress re-establishing its Constitutional authority over U.S. foreign policy and war policy and funding; and

Be It Further Resolved, that the Santa Cruz City Council does hereby request that our California State Legislators, Assemblymember John Laird and State Senator Joe Simitian, provide leadership in the California legislature in support of State Senator Carole Migden’s Senate Joint Resolution (SJR 1) calling for a rapid withdrawal of the U.S. military occupation of Iraq; and

Be It Further Resolved, that the Santa Cruz City Council directs Mayor Emily Reilly to send copies of this Resolution to the President of the United States, our Congressional representatives, our California legislative representatives, the League of California Cities, and all local media outlets; and to arrange that a copy of this resolution be placed on the Santa Cruz City website.

A fascinating account of an organization dedicated to promoting peace and justice and ending gang warfare.
This is the compelling story of Barrios Unidos, the Santa Cruz-based organization founded to prevent gang violence amongst inner-city ethnic youth. An evolving grass-roots organization that grew out of the Mexican-American civil rights and anti-war movements of the 1960s and 1970s, Barrios Unidos harnessed the power of culture and spirituality to rescue at-risk young people, provide avenues to quell gang warfare, and offer a promising model for building healthy and vibrant multicultural communities.
Co-founder Daniel “Nane” Alejándrez spent his childhood following the crops from state to state with his family. His earliest recollection of “home” was a tent in a labor camp. Later, he was drafted in to the Army and sent to Vietnam. “Flying bullets, cries of anguish and being surrounded by death have a way of giving fuel to epiphany. This war made as little sense to me as the war raging on the streets of the barrios back home.” He decided that when he returned home, he would dedicate himself to peace. Nane Alejándrez’s story of personal transformation, from heroin-addicted gang banger to social activist and youth advocate, is closely tied to that of Barrios Unidos.
Through interviews, written testimonies, and documents, Frank de Jesús Acosta re-constructs the development of Barrios Unidos—or literally, united neighborhoods—from its early influences and guiding principles to its larger connection to the on-going struggle to achieve civil rights in America. Today, Barrios Unidos chapters exist in several cities around the country, including San Francisco; Venice-Los Angeles; Salinas; San Diego; Washington, DC; Yakima; San Antonio; Phoenix; and Chicago.
With a foreword by Luis Rodríguez, former gang member and author of La Vida Loca: Always Running, the book also includes historical photos and commentaries by leading civil rights activists Harry Belafonte, Dolores Huerta, Tom Hayden, Manuel Pastor, and Constance Rice. Mandatory reading for anyone interested in peace and social justice, The History of Barrios Unidos gives voice to contemporary inter-generational leaders of color and will lead to the continuation of necessary public dialogue about racism, poverty, and violence.
“Barrios Unidos follows in the positive spiritual traditions of Gandhi, Dr. King, César, and Malcolm following his pilgrimage to Mecca. The story and example of Barrios Unidos is an inspiration to everyone in the movement.”—Harry Belafonte
FRANK DE JESUS ACOSTA was born and raised in East Los Angeles. He has worked with a number of non-profit organizations in California, including the United Methodist Social Service Center, Downtown Immigrant Advocates, the Coalition for Humane Immigrants’ Rights of Los Angeles, and the Center for Community Change in Washington, DC. Most recently, he served a five-year tenure as Senior Program Officer directing a California Wellness Foundation grant-making program, the Violence Prevention Initiative. He lives and works in Whittier, California.