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Walk to Ground the Drones – Walk for Peaceful Skies
Peace House (www.peacehousekzoo.org), Kalamazoo Non-Violent Opponents of War (KNOW- www.kzoo4peace.org) and Voices for Creative Nonviolence (www.vcnv.org), a Chicago-based international peace group, in planning a walk from Chicago to Battle Creek to oppose the new drone warfare command at the Michigan Air National Guard base. After two planning meetings, we are ready to give an update with more details.
Many people have expressed their desire to get involved in this effort, to say NO! to drone surveillance and remote-controlled war. There are many things that you can do to get involved.
You can educate yourself about the effects of drone warfare on innocent people abroad, and you can learn about dedicated campaigns to stop drone war. Voices for Creative Nonviolence has a great website; it’s a good place to start. vcnv.org
You can march. The daily breakdown of the 163-mile walk is reprinted below. Many people in Kalamazoo will want to walk into Kalamazoo Thursday, June 12, or out of Kalamazoo Friday, June 13. If you want to walk part or all of these days, please let Peace House know. If you want to walk an earlier section, please contact Buddy Bell at Voices for Creative Nonviolence, buddy@vcnv.org. Let us know how we can help as well. Walkers do not have to walk an entire day; any time on the road is a powerful witness. Spread the word that you’re walking- tell your friends about the drones, and invite them to walk with you.
You can host walkers as they come through our area. We do not have exact numbers at this time, and probably will not have exact numbers until the week of the march; for planning purposes we expect 15-20 people will need hospitality as they come through our area. We are responsible for hospitality for the nights of June 11, 12, and 13 (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday). The walkers will have slept on many floors prior to arriving here; let’s offer beds, showers, and hot meals. We’d like to find homes that can host one, two or three people. Contact Peace House to sign up.
You can provide food to the walkers before they arrive in town. Sandwiches, bagels, juice, casseroles, fruits and veggies all could be brought out to the march before June 12. Contact Peace House.
You can donate. Checks can be made out to Voices for Creative Nonviolence and sent to VNCV, 1249 W. Argyle St. #2, Chicago IL 60640. Thank you.
You can join us for an evening of final organizing and sign making. Thursday, May 22, 5 pm, First Presbyterian Church, 321 W. South St., Kalamazoo. This will be a joyful potluck sign making party. We will also share a list of last-minute logistical tasks, and hopefully divvy up the work. Come on out!
You can join us at two public events.
Thursday, June 12, 6-8:30 pm, St. Thomas More Catholic Student Parish, 421 Monroe St.:
Potluck supper followed by a presentation on the effects of drone strikes in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and other nations where we use drone planes, led by people who have traveled to those places and met with ordinary people.
Saturday, June 14, 11am, Michigan Air National Guard Base, 3367 W. Dickman Rd., Battle Creek: Rally at the base to oppose the drones. Details are in development as we write.
WE MOVE FORWARD UNDER STRICT ACCORDANCE TO THE PRINCIPLES OF NONVIOLENCE.
Dear friends, we are undaunted by the work ahead, because we have you. Please join us in this effort to build a more peaceful world. We eagerly await your response.
http://vcnv.org/on-the-road-to-ground-the-drones
START: Boeing Headquarters
June Destination Miles
3 83rd & Bond – Chicago 12.5
4 Gary Metro Station 16
5 Indiana Dunes Train Station 15.5
6 Long Beach, IN 15
7 Sawyer, MI 15.5
8 Shoreham, MI 15
9 Coloma, MI 15
10 Lawrence, MI 13.5
11 Maple Grove Cemetery 13.5
12 Peace House, Kalamazoo 13.5
13 Hill Brady & Sand – Battle Creek 15.5
14 Battle Creek MI ANGB 2.5
Total 163 |