Plant-Ins: Day of Actions to Prevent Funding the Afganistan Escalation

January 20, 2010: One Year After the Inauguration, Where Will You Be? Have you seen the Change you Hoped for?

If not, on January 20 there will be a series of actions representing different sectors–rather than one large demonstration–to oppose the ongoing wars & occupations. I, along with CodePink, BFUU Social Justice Committee, Planting Justice, The Homeless Coalition, and other peace folks, will be conducting PLANT-INs at BART stations, Market St., and street corners with the theme: “We took out the BUSH, Now let’s GROW PEACE” – There will be one in downtown Oakland & 12th St. (10-1), at Market & Powell in San Francisco 11-1, and the Marine Recruiting Station in Berkeley from 12-1.

We are asking people to bring plants and seeds, and to hand out free “Plant PEAS” and “Forget Me Not” plants and flyers with info and political action steps to take.

We are reaching out to food justice and environmental groups, labor, students, faith communities, teachers, health care providers, and musicians to join us or put on your own creative action if you are opposed to the ongoing war economy.

What we need:
• Dedicated peacemakers to either 1)hand out plants and flyers and speak with people, or 2)occupy a space with a table and plants
• Starter plants & seeds to giveaway, including Peas and “Forget Me Nots”
• Small, foldable tables and homemade signs
• Organizational endorsements—we need to send the message that peace is a mainstream desire, not a radical idea promoted only by activists

Our goals:
• Block the supplemental war funding soon due in Congress. – We support Barbara Lee’s bill H.R. 3699 and Kucinich’s Privileged Resolution
• Let Congress, the White House, and the public know that business-as-usual is unacceptable. We reject the normalization of permanent war.
• Connect everyday issues of job cuts, education cuts, health care crisis, environmental crisis, etc. with the war economy
• Channel the disillusionments with the new administration into a positive focus on the people and our ACTIONS necessary to END WAR.

A total of 20 actions are planned for the day (see other posting). For example, The Homeless Coalition will do “Where’s my change?” march and rally at SF Federal Building, PDA is sponsoring visits to Reps in their Brown Bag Lunch Vigils, teachers and others who have been laid off will hold “Panhandling for my salary” in front of the Kron 4 and Fox 2 buildings, "Cost of War" groups will rove the city, , and mothers & grandmothers will descend upon recruiting stations and apply for the military saying “take me not my grandchild”. More actions are in the works. There will also be 4 50’ foot banner drops at various locations.

Obama has escalated wars, increased the military budget to the largest level ever, and increased drone attacks. But there is a window of opportunity to press back and the peace movement must take it. We are supporting Kucinich’s Privileged Resolution to take back congressional authority over war-making as the Constitution demands and Barbara Lee’s H.R. 3699 halting further funding for escalation of the occupation.

Maybe last year you had HOPE there was going to be real CHANGE coming. Maybe last year you said give Obama a chance. Maybe last year you thought going to the polls & winning was enough work to END WAR. Now is the time to work for the world we want to see and DEMAND the peace we need.