Don't Miss These Afghanistan Lectures, Films, and Protests!

Dear friends,

As the Afghanistan war rages on and the U.S. escalation continues to build up, groups throughout eastern Massachusetts are examining the Afghanistan conflict from many sides.   Are you in the mood to hear expert speakers?   View films?   Do outreach in your communities or protest in the streets?    You are in luck!    We suggest you attend as many as you can of the following:

• This Sunday, at April 11, at 3:30 pm, Congressman Delahunt and Cape Codders for Peace and Justice will feature a forum on U.S. policy in Afghanistan.   The star-studded speakers include Jo Comerford of the National Priorities Project, nationally known expert on the military budget; David Swanson, author, blogger and organizer; Thomas Barfield, B.U. professor and president of the American Association of Afghanistan Studies; and Joe Wippl, ex-CIA officer and director of the Center for International Relations at B.U.   Representative Delahunt is currently a pro-war vote, but agreed to hold this forum to review the issues.  We need a great turnout from the peace movement to help him change his mind!  The meeting is at the Morse Pond School, 323 Jones Rd., Falmouth.  There will be a pre-forum rally at 2:30.     E-mail UJP if you need a ride or can offer one.
• The Walpole Peace and Justice Group presents "View from a Grain of Sand" Tuesday the 13th at 7:30.    You owe it to yourself to see this multi-award-winning documentary about the challenges facing Afghan women.
• The UMass Boston Joiner Center presents the film Lioness about women and War Wednesday at 9am.  There will also be a panel discussion and one of the three women panelists, Jenny D'Olympia, is a mental health counselor who has served three tours in Afghanistan.
• Lia Gladstone, playwright, poet, and filmmaker, spent the last year as professor of English and Drama at the University of Kabul.   She reports back with a piece composed of writings by students at the Harvard School of Education,  Wednesday April 14 at noon.
• Thursday, April 15, Tax Day, will be a key date on the activist calendar.   UJP groups throughout the Eastern Massachusetts region will be tabling at post offices after work, calling to bring our war dollars home.    Click here to view and download the leaflet we will be using.   Write UJP to find an event near you!
• Voices from Iraq and Afghanistan, a community forum in Watertown on April 18, will feature Iraq analyst Raed Jarrar and local Afghan-American activist Maryam Shansab.
• UJP's monthly Brown Bag Lunch Vigil will target Sens. Kerry and Brown's offices, Wednesday, April 21 at noon in downtown Boston.   We will be asking for a NO vote on Afghanistan war funding (see below).
• The Boston 25% Coalition will hold a rally to Fund Jobs/Cut Military Spending, Thursday, April 22, 4:30pm at Roxbury Crossing T stop.

When they return from recess next week, Congress will take up an Administration request for over $40 billion, of which $33 billion is for the Afghanistan war escalation.   The action will start in the Appropriations Committee, then move to the floor.   Please call your member of Congress at 202-224-3121 next week to say NO to the escalation and MOVE the money to pay for jobs.    We will write again next week with a reminder!