Santa Cruz County to Hold Vigil at Military Recruiting Center in Honor of Father’s Day 2009




The Peace Community of Santa Cruz County invites you to:
A Vigil in Honor of Father’s Day 2009
On Friday June 19th, From 3-6PM
In front of the Military Recruiting Center*
2121 41st Avenue, in Capitola, CA 95010

The wars go on,
in Iraq AND in Afghanistan.

In Afghanistan, the troop levels continue to mount, and yet MANY EXPERTS who have served within the system are saying that there is NO military solution possible in Afghanistan.

Retired Army Colonel Ann Wright, who then became a career United States Diplomat and was assigned to set up the American Embassy in Afghanistan during October of 2001, has said:

“President Obama is making a huge mistake. There is no military solution available in Afghanistan. Only diplomacy, negotiation, and rebuilding the government and the infrastructure can bring resolution in Afghanistan.”

Yet, American soldiers continue to die and be grievously wounded,
And the people of Afghanistan suffer the same.
Not just combatants, but babies, children, fathers and mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers, brothers, sisters, cousins, friends……

And the same continues in Iraq as well.

Around the world, in every culture, in every country, within every spiritual tradition, those left behind, or to care for the permanently wounded, grieve deeply, intensely, a gnawing hole that takes so, so long to heal, and to forgive…

Our Fathers, our Grandfathers, our Sons, our Brothers, our boys, our men feel this loss, this rending apart of the family, as terribly as any Mother or Grandmother, Daughter or Sister, woman or girl.

Let us come together, then, in honor of this Father’s Day 2009,
to say to our men, our boys,
that we respect and cherish their emotions, their sensitivity,
their deep commitment and caring for the well being of the children
and the grandchildren, for families and friends, and the very Earth itself,
and that we stand with them in working toward
a more Peaceful and Loving World.

This is a tie that binds us, that creates common ground around the Planet, throughout the Global Village, culture to culture, country to country, religion to religion. Let us see it clearly and nurture its growth.

Please join the Peace Community of Santa Cruz County for:
A Vigil in Honor of Father’s Day 2009
On Friday, June 19th
>From 3-6PM
In front of the Military Recruiting Center*
2121 41st Avenue, in Capitola

Signs or banners that draw attention to the current situation in Afghanistan would be especially appreciated – we will have extras available!

Colorful group flags or banners also speak strongly of the commitment and involvement of the larger community!

Please invite, friends, family, coworkers, partners,
and pass this info along to groups that you are part of.

If your group or congregation would like to be listed as a cosponsor, please send an email to this address:

meadowwolf@baymoon.com

*the Recruiting Center is located next to Burger King, just before the corner of Clares Street and 41st Avenue – there is lots of parking in the lot at the back of the building, or on the street behind. Please car pool! County Buses also go to Capitola Mall and it is an easy two block walk from there!

Peace Now, and Forever!

This Vigil is cosponsored by (a growing list): People United for Peace of SC County, the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom of Santa Cruz and Pajaro Valley, CodePink Santa Cruz, Western Workers Labor Heritage Festival, the Santa Cruz Peace Chorale, the Resource Center for Nonviolence, the Buddhist Peace Fellowship of SC, Santa Cruz Friends Meeting (Quakers), the Truth in Recruiting Network, the Peace and Freedom Party of SC County, Families Against War, the Santa Cruz Peace Coalition, the United Nations Association of SC

US Marines Terrorize Santa Cruz Peace Vigil




SANTA CRUZ, CA – May 3 – The vigil for peace in Afghanistan, Palestine, Iraq and Israel was disrupted for over ten minutes last Friday by two large-framed men shouting their identity as Marines and accusing participants of being unpatriotic. The 5:00 PM vigil has been a regular weekly event since the bombing of Afghanistan began in October of 2001.

On Friday, April 26th, 2002 at approximately 6:00 PM, a vehicle pulled into the gas station on the corner, behind where most of the participants usually gather to display their signs and placards. Two large individuals exited the vehicle and came towards the group of demonstrators in an aggressive manner. With loud voices, they exclaimed, “We’re the Marines!”, “Take those signs down!”, “You’re the terrorists!” and “Traitors!”

The vigils are attended by a diversity of people, ranging from seniors to children. The 10-12 vigil participants present maintained their commitment to nonviolence and responded only with words.

The “Marines” proceeded to kick over signs that were mounted on sticks and placed in the grass. The two individuals then physically assaulted at least two of the men present, pushing one out of the way and grabbing another one by his shirt. While attempting to take a participant’s sign, the mounting stick was broken in half.

Two female attendees confronted these aggressive individuals, suggesting, among other things, that they study the history of US foreign policy more thoroughly before aggressively defending it. Their response was to cease further physical assaults and engage instead in verbal abuse. After about ten minutes they apparently became aware of an attendee in close proximity using a telephone and responded by returning to their vehicle and driving away.

Demonstrators, the people in nearby automobiles, and patrons at the gas station, witnessed the episode. The vehicle license plate was provided to the Santa Cruz Police Department’s dispatch operator by telephone during the event. While participants during previous weeks have typically noticed patrol vehicles passing through the intersection every few minutes, there was no evidence that an officer was dispatched to the scene in response to the emergency call. The participants declined to wait for an officer beyond 30 minutes after the incident.

The Santa Cruz Peace Coalition condemns the behavior of these individuals and calls on all citizens who value free speech to stand in solidarity with us. We will not be deterred by violence or threats of violence and ask that you join us this Friday and every Friday from 5-6pm at the intersection of Ocean and Water to help us maintain an area for peaceful dissent.