Contact: Kelly Campbell 503-720-1815 (cell) kcampbell@afsc.org
For Immediate Release
Thursday, September 21 2006
Declaration of Peace: Nine Peaceful Protestors Arrested at Senator Smith’s office in Portland as part of national week of action; insist Senator Smith work to end the war in Iraq
Citizens attempt to visit Senator to ask him to end the war in Iraq are arrested outside office building
PORTLAND—In conjunction with the national “Declaration of Peace” campaign, a group of nine citizen lobbyists attempted to visit Senator Gordon Smith’s Portland office today to insist that he co-sponsor legislation to end the US military occupation of Iraq and sign the Declaration of Peace. The delegation of nonviolent civil resisters was prevented from entering the Senator’s office and was arrested by the Portland police outside the office building as they tried to send a message to Senator Smith and all of Oregon’s elected officials that the time has come to bring the troops home from Iraq.
“The voices for war are loud and shrill. The voices for peace are soft and insistent. I wish to join them,” explained PSU professor Tom Hastings, one of the participants in the delegation attempting to visit Senator Smith. “I invite the Senator to examine his heart and join us by signing the Declaration of Peace and offer leadership out of this disaster. Others have shown such courage; I am willing to believe the Senator can muster it.”
Dozens of supporters rallied outside the World Trade Center declaring that the time has come for a change in Iraq. They gathered around a simulation of a destroyed Iraqi home dubbed, “rolling rubble.” The exhibit calls attention to the impact of the war on ordinary Iraqi families.
Another participant in the action, Clyde Chamberlain wrote: “By my peaceful, nonviolent actions today and henceforth I am putting Sen. Smith, other Oregon Congresspeople and the current administration on notice. I will no longer tolerate or be silent to the lies and deception; the killing, torture, abuse and violence; the inhumanity and injustice. I will be an example of how civilized, intelligent, compassionate, caring people behave.”
The nonviolent civil resisters arrested include:
- Michele Darr, Corvallis resident and mother of six, age 36
- Rachel Joy, Portland State University Student and catholic worker, age 29
- Clyde Chameberlain, retired Portland resident, age 55
- Adam Sanchez, Lewis and Clark student, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) member, age 21
- Sam Downs, Lewis and Clark student, SDS member, age 18
- Mary Sackley, Lewis and Clark student, SDS member, age 20
- Frazer Lanier, Lewis and Clark student, SDS member, age 23
- Rob Ranta, lifelong Portland resident
- Tom Hastings, PSU professor and catholic worker, age 55
The Declaration of Peace is a nationwide campaign to establish a rapid and concrete plan for peace in Iraq, including:
- A prompt time table for withdrawal of troops and closure of bases
- A peace process for security, reconstruction and reconciliation
- And the shift of funding for war to meeting human needs
Activists across the country have been meeting with members of congress to ask them to sign the Declaration of Peace pledge. Portland’s Rep. Earl Blumenauer is the only member of the Oregon delegation to sign so far.
Others include: Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA): Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-PA); Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA); Rep. John Lewis (D-GA); Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL); Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA).
The pledge asks members of Congress to support these bills:
In the U.S. House:
- H.R. 4232: End the War in Iraq Act Introduced by Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA)
- H.Con.Res.348: Expressing the sense of Congress with respect to accomplishing the mission in Iraq Introduced by Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA)
- H.Con.Res.197: No Permanent Bases in Iraq Introduced by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA)
In the U.S. Senate:
- S.Con.Res.93: Expressing the sense of Congress with respect to accomplishing the mission in Iraq Introduced by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)
Portland’s action is one of more than 300 events during the week of September 21-28 around the US that are part of the Declaration of Peace campaign, primarily targeting pro-war members of Congress. For more information visit http://declarationofpeace.org.
Local Declaration of Peace organizing is supported by Civil Resist Portland, CodePink Portland, Portland Chapter of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, the Portland Catholic Worker community, Oregon Peace Works, American Friends Service Committee, and Veterans for Peace Chapter 72.