Candidate Jim Brandt signs Congressional Declaration of Peace

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Contact:
Edric Guise, 562-434-1446,

September 15, 2006

Democratic Congressional candidate Jim Brandt responds to Stop-the-War Ministry Team Request to Sign Congressional Declaration of Peace Pledge

Local group urges candidate to support efforts to end the war in Iraq

LONG BEACH, CA – In response to a meeting with members of the Stop-the-War Ministry Team of First Congregational Church in Long Beach last Tuesday afternoon, Congressional candidate Jim Brandt today signed the Congressional Declaration of Peace Pledge. Mr. Brandt is running as the Democratic candidate for Congress from District 46.

The Declaration of Peace is a statement with eight distinct points that call for withdrawing U.S. Troops from Iraq, rebuilding Iraq and stabilizing the Middle East (www.DeclarationOfPeace.org). The Ministry team is a local group of activists, one of hundreds around the country, who seek Congressional support for the Declaration of Peace and who, if that support is denied, have committed to engage in nonviolent protests and/or civil disobedience throughout the nation.

The Stop-the-War Ministry Team has also met with Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, who is Mr. Brandt’s Republican opponent in the upcoming election. At that meeting, Mr. Rohrabacher expressed agreement with the Ministry Team that the United States should not establish permanent military bases in Iraq, but he refused to sign on to the Pledge, disagreeing with the remaining points.

Describing Tuesday’s meeting with Mr. Brandt, Dr. Robert Kalayjian, who is a local physician, Vice-Moderator of First Congregational Church of Long Beach, and a member of the Ministry Team said, “Jim Brandt is a bit of an enigma. A businessman who suggested that we might liken the Iraq war to a business with a failing product. A good business will cut its losses and walk away from the product. But he also feels strongly and with heart that we will only see more death of Americans and Iraqis if we try to win a losing situation. I also like the fact that he is willing to stand up and take that position while his fellow Democratic Congresspeople keep talking politically and take no position and speak in circles.”

The Congressional Declaration of Peace Pledge is a commitment by Representatives and Senators to support the Declaration of Peace and to cosponsor legislation that will create momentum for a comprehensive plan to end the war and occupation of Iraq.

The pledge specifically asks members of Congress to cosponsor legislation such as H.R.4232 (End the War in Iraq Act of 2005), H.Con.Res.348/S Con Res93 (about military withdrawal and oil control) and H.Con.Res.197 (No Permanent Bases in Iraq).

Currently, local Declaration of Peace teams around the country are meeting with their representatives to secure pledges of support and to inform Congress about the Declaration of Peace project. This project not only involves direct work with Congress but also outreach to communities all over the country supported by nonviolent protests, including civil disobedience, aimed at ending the war.

For more information, please contact: Edric Guise at (562) 434-1446 or FCCPeace@aol.com.

Your Name: Scott Blackburn

Your Email Address: scott@vcnv.org

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Long Beach, CA: Activists call for end to war

Cynthia — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 07:26:37 -0500

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Church groups, others call for peace in Iraq.

By David Rogers, Staff writer

Link to article in the Press Telegram online.

LONG BEACH - To Edric Guise, the collective efforts of the local and national peace movement are now coming together. He said that was evident early Friday evening outside the Glenn M. Anderson Federal Building at Ocean Boulevard and Magnolia Avenue, where about 70 people, including several members of local antiwar groups, held a peaceful protest that called for a “Declaration of Peace” and a withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

“We view this as a first step toward growing this (movement) and stopping the war,” said Guise, who organized Friday’s protest for the First Congregational Church’s Stop-the- War Ministry Team. He said his group was formed several weeks ago after the Declaration of Peace was endorsed by the United Church of Christ, the denomination his church belongs to.

Guise’s group has met with Rep. Dana Rohrabacher and members of Reps. Juanita Millender-McDonald’s and Linda Sanchez’s staffs. The three legislators have not pledged their support for the “declaration,” but Sanchez’s staff assured the ministry that “although (Sanchez) doesn’t sign pledges, she is an advocate for peace,” Guise said.

The pledge calls for withdrawing troops from Iraq and supporting an Iraqi-led peace process, among other measures. Oakland-based Declaration of Peace launched its campaign earlier this year calling for a comprehensive plan to end the war by Sept. 21, the United Nations International Day of Peace, and for “peaceful action” across the country Sept. 21 to 28 if the deadline wasn’t met.

Several more demonstrations are scheduled to take place across the country over the next few days, including some civil disobedience actions like one planned for Monday afternoon outside the armed forces recruiting station at Hollywood Boulevard and Sycamore Avenue in Hollywood, Guise said.

Dr. Robert Kalayjian, a member of the ministry and a Long Beach Memorial Medical Center anesthesiologist, said he is one of about 25 protesters planning to risk arrest by blocking access to the center. That demonstration is planned for shortly after a nearby silent vigil organized by the American Friends Service Committee, when about 40 empty coffins will be carried, some of them draped by flags, Kalayjian said.

“It’s really important for me to take action,” Kalayjian said. “This is about not creating obituaries. This is about life, about keeping people alive.”

Pat Alviso of Military Families Speak Out Orange County & South Bay said at Friday’s protest that her Marine staff sergeant son is being sent to Iraq today for his second tour of duty there. She said her son was more optimistic about the war before he came home from it earlier this year.

“He came back saying, `I don’t see why we’re there,”’ Alviso said. “The soldiers don’t know what the mission is, and he understands now that people aren’t supporting the war.”

David Rogers can be reached at or (562) 499-1246.

Your Name: Cynthia

Your Email Address: info@declarationofpeace.org

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The Declaration of Peace - Long Beach

Candidate Jim Brandt signs Congressional Declaration of Peace

Long Beach, CA: Activists call for end to war

Church groups, others call for peace in Iraq.