July 5, 2007
David Goodner

On Friday July 6, approximately 22 peacemakers, plus supporters, will nonviolently occupy the Cedar Rapids, Iowa offices of both Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Tom Harkin (D-IA).

The coordinated occupations are a political consequence for the Senators’ pro-war votes last May giving President Bush a blank check to continue the illegal and immoral war in Iraq.

The Iowa Occupation Project - a coalition between the University of Iowa Anti-war Committee, the Des Moines Catholic Worker, the Chicago-based Voices For Creative Nonviolence, Women For Peace Iowa, the Linn County Green Party, and the UNI Campus Antiwar Network - is demanding that the Senators publicly pledge to de-fund the war.

In the interests of communication, dialogue, and negotiation, the Iowa Occupation Project has contacted the offices of both Senators regarding this direct action. We have given them a deadline of July 4th to publicly pledge to de-fund the war, or face occupation.

We refuse to leave until the Senators capitulate to our demands or we get hauled away in handcuffs.

The Cedar Rapids 11 will be sentenced in Linn County the morning of Friday, July 6. The Re-Occupation will commence immediately following the sentencing.

A press conference, public lecture, and nonviolent civil disobedience training seminar will commence on Thursday July 5 at the Old Brick Peace Center starting at 4pm. At 7 pm Jeff Leys, a coordinator for Voices For Creative Nonviolence, will give a speech titled “Never Ending Funding for Never Ending War”.

“War is not our baby,” said Voices founder Kathy Kelly.

“Pick up a bust for peace, now is the time,” said Des Moines Catholic Worker founder Frank Cordaro.

Please come and attend this exciting and informative workshop and training session.

Join us in helping to remind our Senators about their responsibilities as elected officials and as human beings.

Related: An open letter to Iowa’s Senators [1]

Are Iowa’s Senators truly accessible to the people? [2]

Iowa Occupation Project: Grassley and Harkin must de-fund the war [3]