WITNESS AGAINST WAR 2008: From Chicago to St. Paul
Lisa Loring
Friday, 18 July 2008
The Daily Kenoshan
Immigrant rights activists in Racine and Milwaukee will be opposing both the war in Iraq and a domestic ‘war on immigrants’ when they join with a 450 mile peace walk currently making its way through Wisconsin and due to arrive August 31st at the Republican National Convention in St Paul.
The ‘Witness Against War’ walkers will set out from Milwaukee on Monday, July 21st and will be joined by a delegation of Voces de la Frontera supporters as they cross the 6th Street Viaduct en route to an 8.45 a.m. press conference at Zeidler Union Square Park.
Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Director of Voces de la Frontera, explained: “We oppose the Iraq war just as we oppose the current war on immigrants being waged by the Bush Administration. A majority of Americans recognize that this is an illegitimate war and is draining our economy.”
The Latino community suffers disproportionately from the mounting casualties in Iraq; at the same time, more families are being torn apart by a surge in raids and deportations.
“Amid the pain, big military contractors like Boeing and Halliburton are enjoying the spoils of an expanding budget for the militarization of immigration policy”, says Neumann-Ortiz, who points to the vast sums being sunk into the border wall and the building boom for detention centers. Halliburton offshoot KBR has a $385 million contract to build new immigration prisons, while Boeing has an estimated $2 billion contract for fortifying the border.
For Voces de la Frontera, the walk will kick off a new effort to press the next President to pass humane immigration reform in the opening weeks of his administration. This summer, pro-immigrant groups will be mobilizing supporters to deliver the message of “First 100 Days”, the key theme of the May 1st marches, directly to both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions. The two actions are being coordinated by the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM).
WALK SCHEDULE - Monday, July 21st
7:30 a.m. – Breakfast at Casa Romero, 423 W. Bruce St.
8:15 a.m. – Supporters from Voces de la Frontera join the walk, which crosses 6th Street Viaduct on way to Zeidler Union Square Park (4th and Michigan).
8:45 a.m. – Press conference at Zeidler Union Square Park, 301 W. Michigan, featuring local supporters, including Peace Action-Wisconsin and Voces de la Frontera.
9:00 a.m. – Walkers leave for Brookfield. Route will follow Wisconsin Ave. and then Blue Mound Rd., ending at Franklin Wirth Park (on North Ave. just beyond Pilgrim Rd).
7:00 p.m. – Program featuring Kathy Kelly at Unitarian Universalist Church West, 13001 W. North Ave., Brookfield.
