Our DAYS of DECISION presentation and “Die-In” action in Bloomington, Indiana garnered great press in The Herald-Times, the city’s daily newspaper. They also included a color photo taken by Christine Glaser on the front page of Sunday’s edition, and then printed it again as a black & white above the article, with the caption we wrote(!):
“Two dozen people engaged in a “die-in” action in front of Bloomington City Hall on Saturday, calling upon Congress to stop funding the war in Iraq and establish a peace plan.”
In their on-line version, the H-T also included a video of Timothy Baer being interviewed about the action, the Peace Plan, and the Declaration of Peace campaign.
The print edition also included: “You can view the multimedia presentation by visiting the Declaration of Peace Web site at www.declarationofpeace.org “
Dozens gather for peace demonstration
By James Boyd
331-4370 |
The Herald Times
http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/stories/2007/09/16/news.qp-8166761.sto (available for subscribers only)
September 16, 2007
BLOOMINGTON — Dozens of people gathered at Bloomington’s City Hall Saturday to hear a Declaration of Peace for the war in Iraq.
Those in attendance got to view an extensive multimedia presentation outlining the nine points that members of The Declaration of Peace — a national peace organization — and the Bloomington Peace Action Coalition hope to get across to local, state and federal legislators.
“Today we’re making a presentation supporting the comprehensive peace plan for Iraq,” BPAC member Tim Baer said. “It is a part of the Days of Decision, a weeklong campaign with the Declaration of Peace.”
Baer said actions were being held in 21 states and in more than 60 cities through Friday.
“What we’re doing today is presenting a nine-point plan for peace in Iraq,” he said.
Their talking points include:
~ Ending the funding for U.S. military operations in Iraq.
~ The safe and rapid withdrawal of all U.S. and coalition forces from Iraq, with no future redeployments.
~ No permanent U.S. military bases or installations in Iraq.
~ Returning control of Iraqi oil to the Iraqi people and giving them sovereignty in their economic and political affairs.
Baer said U.S. Rep. Baron Hill had been scheduled to attend, but canceled after learning the event would be broadcast on community access television and that media outlets had been invited.
After the presentation — which featured some graphic images of a suicide bombing aftermath — audience members had a chance to participate in a question-and-answer session, followed by a “die-in.”
“The die-in is a representatation of the reality in Iraq,” Baer said. “Iraq needs a comprehensive peace plan. The reality is, what they have is death, violence and destruction.”
People lay down and were covered with shrouds.
“It’s a very moving experience for people to engage in,” Baer said. “It’s to make public the reality of Iraq.”