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Asheville area residents and beyond are invited to join with PeaceTown activists and other citizens, a loose coalition of people working for peace and nonviolence in WNC. They rally in Pritchard Park Saturday, March 20th, 12 noon to commemorate the United States seventh year of involvement in Iraq.Participants will be demanding ceasefires in both Iraq and Afghanistan, the latter of which the U.S. has been occupying for nearly nine years, among the longest in American history. Organizers claim that much of the money that is now going into the U.S. Defense Department (51 percent of the national budget) should instead be spent on creating productive jobs in the U.S. and improving healthcare, education and housing. " Being a new organization, we hope to introduce ourselves while inspiring citizens and families to make their voices heard in the peace movement. Many people are tired and weary of war, the economy, the environment and lack of healthcare which are all connected," remarks Laura Sorensen, event organizer. " So let's celebrate life while demanding jobs, better healthcare and education--not occupation." The event will start and end at Pritchard Park after a march through much of Downtown Asheville. Persons are invited to dress in bright clothing, bring signs, instruments, their dogs, bikes, hula hoops, drums and noise makers as the community celebrates the hope for peace with the renewal of the Earth this spring. Cecil Bothwell, Asheville City Council member, has been invited to to the event in order to accept Peacetown's and other groups' proposed resolution asking for our elected Senate and Congressional members' support for withdrawal from Afghanistan. Joining in the commemoration will be H. Byron Ballard, co-founder of the Coalition of Earth Religions for Education and Support, the Wild Bodema drum group, the Sahara Women's Chorus and representatives from Veterans for Peace. For more information, call 275-1962. (Image provided by Wikipedia.)
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