May, 21 2009, 10:59am EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Contact Paul Kawika Martin at 951-217-7285, or,email Paul,.,Contact Jon Rainwater at 510-469-3700, or,email Jon,.
Anti-War Activists Confront Foreign Relations Committee, Demand No More Taxpayer 'Blood Money'
Activists scatter blood money in Senate hearing on Afghanistan and Pakistan
WASHINGTON
A group of anti-war protesters challenged
U.S. senators Thursday during a foreign relations committee meeting
chaired by Senator John Kerry (D Mass.) held at the Dirksen Building.
Four were arrested as the committee discussed future U.S. policy toward
Afghanistan.
Among
those arrested, were DC resident Eve Tetaz, 77, Ellen Barfield, 52 of
Baltimore, Md., and Stephen Mihalis, 52 from Elmyria, Ohio who
interrupted the hearing by throwing money stained with the blood of
Tetaz and Barfield in the room.
those arrested, were DC resident Eve Tetaz, 77, Ellen Barfield, 52 of
Baltimore, Md., and Stephen Mihalis, 52 from Elmyria, Ohio who
interrupted the hearing by throwing money stained with the blood of
Tetaz and Barfield in the room.
"Stop
pouring blood money into warfare," Tetaz shouted as she and the two
other activists were quickly taken from the hearing and arrested.
pouring blood money into warfare," Tetaz shouted as she and the two
other activists were quickly taken from the hearing and arrested.
DC
resident, Pete Perry, 39, repeated Senator Kerry's own words spoken at
the height of the Vietnam War: "How do you ask someone to be the last
American soldier to die for a mistake?"
resident, Pete Perry, 39, repeated Senator Kerry's own words spoken at
the height of the Vietnam War: "How do you ask someone to be the last
American soldier to die for a mistake?"
"We
are here to tell the Senate they must stop automatically approving more
blood money for these disastrous occupations," said Barfield, a US Army
veteran. "Bring all the troops home now!"
are here to tell the Senate they must stop automatically approving more
blood money for these disastrous occupations," said Barfield, a US Army
veteran. "Bring all the troops home now!"
Barfield,
Mihalis, and Perry are all members of the National Campaign for
Nonviolent Resistance, which has as its mission the ending of
aggressive and immoral wars and holding those in government,
responsible for such policies, accountable to law. This group is
dedicated to the teachings of nonviolence of Gandhi, King and Dorothy
Day.
Mihalis, and Perry are all members of the National Campaign for
Nonviolent Resistance, which has as its mission the ending of
aggressive and immoral wars and holding those in government,
responsible for such policies, accountable to law. This group is
dedicated to the teachings of nonviolence of Gandhi, King and Dorothy
Day.
This
week the Senate is expected to pass its version of the war funding
supplemental, totaling approximately $91 billion. Last week the House
passed a $96.7 billion version of the supplemental, with only 51
anti-war Democrats voting against it.
week the Senate is expected to pass its version of the war funding
supplemental, totaling approximately $91 billion. Last week the House
passed a $96.7 billion version of the supplemental, with only 51
anti-war Democrats voting against it.
Other
anti-war activists speaking out during the hearing included members of
Code Pink Women for Peace and Peace Action, member groups of the United
for Peace and Justice coalition. Among this national coalition's
demands regarding Afghanistan are the fact that most Afghans want the
US troops out, the realization that the presence of US troops is the
cause of violence for ordinary Afghans, not the solution, and that an
occupation by US military forces will not resolve the crisis.
anti-war activists speaking out during the hearing included members of
Code Pink Women for Peace and Peace Action, member groups of the United
for Peace and Justice coalition. Among this national coalition's
demands regarding Afghanistan are the fact that most Afghans want the
US troops out, the realization that the presence of US troops is the
cause of violence for ordinary Afghans, not the solution, and that an
occupation by US military forces will not resolve the crisis.
Peace Action is the United States' largest peace and disarmament organization with over 100,000 members and nearly 100 chapters in 34 states, works to achieve the abolition of nuclear weapons, promote government spending priorities that support human needs and encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights.
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