Include photos or video if available.
Altadena, CA
MEMOIR NIGHT HIGHLIGHTS IRAQ MORATORIUM
Four area authors spoke at "Memoir Night" at the Altadena Public Library Friday, October 17, Iraq Moratorium day. Over 60 people packed the conference room for the event. Paul Krehbiel, author of Shades of Justice, talked about the 1969 Vietnam Moratorium from his book and the Iraq Moratorium today. Other authors on the panel were Tristine Rainer, author of Your Life as Story; Ray Elizondo, author of The Last Pachuco; and Nancy Mehagian, author of Siren's Feast: An Edible Odyssey. Shades of Justice and The Last Pachuco are available at www.autumnleafpress.com
Pasadena, CA
STOPPING MILITARY RECRUITMENT
Fifteen people set up an informational picket in front of the Military Recruiting Office on Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena on Iraq Moratorium Day, October 17, to persuade potential military recruits NOT to join. Only two potential military recruits came to the office while we were there and we convinced both to leave without keeping their appointments with recruiters! The event was organized by the Pasadena Iraq Moratorium, which will focus future Moratorium Day protests to stop military recruitment as long as the war and occupation continues. Members of Students for Social Justice at Pasadena City College joined the anti-war protest. The picketers carried signs to stop funding the war to help save our economy, and to bring the troops home.
Oakland, CA
Living Graveyard, Oct. 21. Four people lay on city sidewalk covered with white sheets to represent the Iraqi and U.S. dead in the war. Names were read. About 300 flyers were handed out to the public.
San Francisco, CA
Haight-Ashbury: Warm weather returned to San Francisco for our October vigil. Our crowd was once again relatively small (about 16) but enthusiastic.
The sun is now setting earlier, so ours was mostly a nightime vigil.
We once again had food and music. Sorry we can’t share it on this website. But we are able to post some photos, so that you can see that, although our purpose is serious, we were having fun. You can also see us and our signs.
Our spot is along a bicycle and pedestrian path, as well as next to a traffic intersection. As usual, the response from passing motoristis, cyclists, and pedestrians was supportive.More pictures from our October vigil and from past vigils can be seen here
Amherst, MA
We rang our church bell again 21 times in Amherst, MA. The rector of Grace Church, Amherst, rang it instead of me because I was sick. Cheers for Rob Hirshfeld!
Cornwall, CT
$ For Banks $ For War
Is This What
We Pay Taxes For?
This was the biggest sign made when the Iraq Moratorium: Cornwall Edition observed Moratorium Day #14 with a vigil and sign painting event. About twenty locals gathered, not counting kids and dogs, to line the green in Cornwall Bridge.
As at our previous vigil, the outpouring of honks, peace signs and thumbs up from those driving past showed just how sick of the war folks in this little New England town are. One high point of the vigil came when a car pulled up across the street, driven by a couple passing through town on Route 7.
At the end of the day, as we were packing up, Cornwall folks were chatting about the November Moratorium Day and how exciting it is that Jeff Bartos, who is organizing a Connecticut chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War, will be speaking there. As the signs went into the pickup, the suggestion was made that the slogan on that big sign mentioned at the start of our report would be ideal for an old-fashioned series of four roadside signs, like the Burma Shave ads back in the day. We just have to figure out what the fifth sign (the one after the rhyming slogan that said Burma Shave) would say. "Join us"? "Iraq Moratorium?" "Do something"?"We are from Ohio and we just wanted to stop and say how much we appreciate what you are doing."
Hey, thanks. This is the Iraq Moratorium. The third Friday of every month folks all around the country take action wherever they are to protest the war. Where in Ohio are you from?"
"Cincinnati."
"No kiddin'? There are Moratorium vigils in six or eight different places there on Moratorium Day."
"Hey! We've been to those! This is great!"
Santa Barbara, CA
A mock cemetery composed of 300 coroplast "Tombstones" is set up on the lawn for the 18 & 19 year old U.S. military casualties from the Iraq & Afghanistan conflicts. As students and college personnel come down the walkway, volunteers from the Vets for Peace, SB Chapter 54, request their assistance in placing a name tag of the fallen youth on one of the "Tombstones". Hundreds of Students & personnel participated through out the day and many were moved to see the cost of War with the human touch of putting a face and name to this tragedy.
Duluth, MN
About 20 people attended the Northland Anti-War Coalition's October Iraq Moratorium. We held a one hour vigil on the corner of a busy intersection near the University of MN-Duluth. We held signs for passing motorists, and handed out leaflets to pedestrians. A large group of students from UMD's Students for Peace group attended, as well as some students from the College of St. Scholastica, a number of older peace activists. It was a very spirited vigil, and the response we got from the public was overwhelmingly positive!
Hayward, WI
Hayward’s October Moratorium #14 event was slimmer than usual due to the Obama House party happening concurrently in a neighboring community, but we prevailed. Around 25 citizens and 2 dogs rallied and demonstrated on the busy corner in downtown Hayward. 
Cars and trucks passed by waving, clapping and thanking us for standing up, with relatively few thumbs down. Several vigilers called in pledges to WOJB 88.9 FM, our local community radio station’s fall fund drive while others spoke live on the radio via cell phone (photo at right.) Some yummy brownies were available and the Wiscokidd played sing-a-long tunes! Pamphlets for the Progressive Democrats of America circulated highlighting their “Healthcare not Warfare” platform, as well as Iraq Moratorium pamphlets to those who had not heard about the “Every Third Friday” events nationwide.
Takoma Park/Silver Spring, MD
We are alternating between Silver Spring and Takoma Metro Stations these days, and were at Silver Spring in October. We had a small but spirited vigil, handing out our flyer. In November, we'll be back at Takoma, with a potluck afterwards at the Presbyterian Church.
Rice Lake, WI
Just over 30 anti-war supporters gathered in Rice Lake Friday to observe Iraq Moratorium Day #14. We were very glad to see a crop of new young faces at our event, having been joined by several high schoolers from the area. Spirits were high, passing motorists were supportive with honks and thumbs up, and enthusiasm for expanding the event is growing. We're all looking forward to a larger event on November 21st!
Norwich, CT
Still the protests continue. Another third Friday and we peacefully held our Iraq Moratorium Vigil on Chelsea Parade in Norwich, CT. Our state is very heavily dependent upon the military industrial complex with a major naval submarine base, along with Electric Boat a major submarine manufacturer, the USCG Academy, Sikorsky helicopter manufacturer, along with many other industries that support the military on other levels. The impetus to get out and protest a war that helps to employ so many in our state is just not there. We don’t care. We continue to vigil on the third Friday. We get a lot of honks and thumbs up along with a few negative comments. We just want the war to end and the killing to stop. Our great nation is in debt up the wahzoo! This continued war only adds to that debt. We are proud to claim the Iraq Moratorium as Our Legacy. Peace & Love to the World!
Janesville, WI
Rock Valley Fellowship of Reconciliation Peace vigil. Approx. 12 people today, with "stop the war" and "honk for peace" signs. It was raining and cold, so the group was smaller than usual. Lots of honks and only a few negative gestures.
Berkeley, CA
Berkeley Gray Panthers & Strawberry Creek Lodge Tenants' Assoc. Gather to say NO to war. Today, Oct. 17, there were 22 people, 3 of us were in wheelchairs. We showed spirit and determination to end all of this insanity.
Pinellas Park, FL
Our event was held at the famous site of the March 2005 Terri Shivo feeding tube case in Pinellas Park, Florida. There were only two of us in Pinellas Park but we are part of three Iraq Moritoriums in the Tampa Bay Area...
Milwaukee, WI
Our usual 3rd Friday rally and vigil was bolstered by an increased presence of University of Wis-Milwaukee students, who also marched to the Federal Building and back. It seems impossible, but the response from cars driving by during rush hour was even more enthusiastic than it has been.
Madison WI
As an Iraq Moratorium event today, we held a special statewide organizing meeting in Madison to make plans to bring and keep our National Guard troops home: those who are currently fighting in wars abroad – and those with plans for being deployed in 2009! We need our Guard here – to deal with floods, and tornados, and supporting human needs within our state and region and nation….not abroad fighting in wars. We are developing flyers and petitions for the November and December Moratorium vigils. Watch for them on the WNPJ website.
This is part of a national campaign, endorsed by Veterans for Peace and more. The following states have active campaigns which have already introduced or will soon introduce state legislation: Vermont, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, New York, our own Wisconsin and Oregon. A new "Bring the Guard Home" website will be up very soon, but in the meantime, go here for links to media releases, publicity fliers, articles and FAQs about the national campaign. And if you want to get involved in Wisconsin, contact Joy First at jsfirst@tds.net or 608-239-4327.
