Genesee Valley Citizens for Peace
PO Box 363 Geneseo NY 14454 <www.gvcp.org> 585-624-3673
“Human Race Not Arms Race”
February 2, 2007

NEXT GVCP MEETING: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH 1:00 PM (Lunch), 1:30 PM (Meeting) OMEGA RESTAURANT, 4182 LAKEVILLE RD (ROUTE 20A) GENESEO.
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WEEKLY SATURDAY MORNING VIGILS FOR PEACE: 10:30 – 11:30 AM in Honeoye, Richmond Memorial Park, Route 20A.  (Not Honeoye Falls.)  [Judi Taylor 585-229-4963 <jsalsburg@monroecc.edu>]  Sponsor:  Honeoye Concerned Citizens.

WEEKLY SUNDAY NOON VIGILS FOR PEACE: 12:00 Noon – 1:00 PM in Rochester.  East Ave. & Goodman St. [585-442-3383]  Sponsor:  Peace Action & Education.

SAVE THE DATE: MONDAY, MARCH 19th 7:00 PM CANDLELIGHT VIGIL TO MARK THE FOURTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WAR AGAINST IRAQ. AT THE MAIN ST FOUNTAIN IN GENESEO. (Co-sponsored with Geneseo Ecumenical Peace Council.)

THIS MONTH’S LETTERS:  STOP THE WAR AGAINST IRAQ! According to a recent Harris Poll, over 70% of Americans support either a timeline for a withdrawal or an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops.  Everyone agrees that the Democrats took control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives based on the public’s dissatisfaction with the war.  However, in the Senate, it looks as if the best we’re going to get is a non-binding resolution against the war.

Republican and Democratic Senators joined this week in support of a non-binding sense of the Senate resolution that puts Congress on record as rejecting the president’s planned escalation of the war in Iraq, and calls for regional diplomacy and political compromise in Iraq. The bipartisan resolution was introduced on January 31st by Senators John Warner (VA) and Carl Levin (MI), and is called Senate Concurrent Resolution 7.  Friends Committee on National Legislation and Peace Action of New York State both support this resolution because they want to see a headline that reads, "Senate rebukes Bush on Iraq." My thought is to write to our Senators, saying that you expect them to support Sen. Con. Res. 7, but that you also want them to support Senator Kennedy’s bill (S. 233) that prohibits the use of funds for an escalation of U.S. military forces in Iraq.

In the House of Representatives, H.R. 508, sponsored by Rep. Lynn Woolsey, is excellent.  If passed, it would require United States military disengagement from Iraq, and provide United States assistance for reconstruction and reconciliation in Iraq.  The only Upstate Representative to co-sponsor this bill is Rep. Maurice Hinchey.  If you live in Rep. Hinchey’s district, please call or write to thank him.  If you’re not in his district, write to your Representative and strongly urge co-sponsorship of H.R. 508.

It’s very important that politicians hear from us now!  Write or call your congresspeople and tell them that you want the war to end.  We’re tired of the same old excuses and the same old rhetoric.  The message—Stop the War Against Iraq!  Send your messages now:

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and Senator Charles Schumer
U.S. Senate, Washington DC 20510.

Your Representative 
U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515

The Capitol Switchboard number is (202) 224-3121.

Peace,

Arnie Matlin for GVCP

GVCP is proud to be affiliated with Peace Action (formerly SANE/Freeze)
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