Inside the Belly of the Beltway Beast

Antiwar Push Starts Near White House; 34 Arrested By Sue Anne Pressley Montes Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, September 22, 2006; A08 A group of ministers, veterans and peace activists attempted to deliver a "declaration of peace" to the White House yesterday, kicking off a week of vigils and other activities in 350 communities across the country calling for the prompt withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. Thirty-four people were arrested here and charged with disorderly conduct after they demanded to speak with President Bush, then refused to leave the west gate of the White House. As part of an initiative of more than 400 groups, many of them religiously affiliated, the activists said they had to "bear moral witness" against the U.S. military role in Iraq. "We are in a time of peril, and people of morals have got to stand up," said the Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., who founded the D.C.-based Hip Hop Caucus to involve youths in political and social action...

Yesterday, a half-dozen of us participated in a dramatic die-in in front of the White house, as dozens of tourists watched and discussed our nation's aggressive and immoral role in the war and occupationof Iraq. A small group of us have become a little frustrated by the low turnout at Camp Democracy and the relative lack of willingness on the part of many participants there to take concrete anti-war action. We donned t-shits with messages like "Young Iraqi Boy, Cluster Bomb," "U.S. Soldier, Friendly Fire," "Iraqi Civillian, Tortured" and had fake blood packets underneath. We covered the t-shirts with normal looking button down shirts and behaved like tourists at first. When we did the action, two others became spokespersons and reminded all the onlookers that this is what war is about as we lay there bloodied with our messages, and that their tax dollars are being spent this way. They also urged people to learn more by stopping by Camp Democracy.

4 Iraq War Vets Detained at Pentagon Tell A Friend by David Swanson Online at: http://www.campdemocracy.org Speakers available for interviews: http://www.campdemocracy.org/speakers Four Iraq War Vets Detained at Pentagon What: Press Conference with veterans who have been detained, and possibly arrested, at the Pentagon When: 9:30 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 10, 2006 Where: Camp Democracy on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., near Fourth Street. Four veterans of the current war in Iraq and one supporter (a total of five young men) were detained at the Pentagon today after they attended an open house and left behind flyers providing information about the lethal effects of depleted uranium. The five (if released) and leaders of Iraq Veterans Against the War, and Veterans for Peace will hold a press conference at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow, Sunday, September 10, at Camp Democracy, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., near Fourth Street. The veterans observed literature available in the Pentagon...

Although Camp Democracy does not start until tomorrow morning, the 5th of September, there have already been people staying over night watching the tents near the intersection of 15th and Constitution Avenue N.W., located between the Washington Monument and the American History Museum. This is an exciting time for the movement. Finally, about two-thirds of Americans agree that the war and occupation in Iraq must be ended, Americans are also aware of how they are being short-changed at home. There must be more funds for Hurricane Katrina relief, there must be healthcare for all Americans and it's time to stop the chipping away of our civil liberties! The question is how do we transform this sentiment into action? Friday and Saturday night, my friend Jamie, a young peace and justice activist camped the nights on site. Friday he was rained on and there was some flooding under two of the tents. Saturday, I went down to visit with him briefly with a mutual friend after we saw the docume...