Feature Archives

Author Norman Solomon and peace mom Cindy Sheehan spoke at the Sacramento for Democracy meeting on Wednesday, April 4. The title of the talk was "Meeting the Historic Challenge: War, Peace and the 2007 California Democratic Convention." Norman is a nationally syndicated columnist on media and politics and a newly elected delegate to the State Democratic Party from the 6th Assembly District.

On March 22, five veterans – among seven people arrested at the office of Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento) Thursday as they read the names of those killed in Iraq – said today they will fight those charges, and intend to subpoena the democrat as a witness in their trial.

Cathy Webster, a Chico grandmother, was one of six activists who reported to prisons throughout the country on March 21st. Cathy Webster trespassed on the U.S. Army base formerly known as the School of the Americas in order to protest the teaching of counter-insurgency techniques and torture to Latin American soldiers. In the same spirit as the civil rights movement, she used non-violent civil disobedience to shine a spotlight on the teachings of the school, which was renamed the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC) in 2000.

On the fourth anniversary of the War in Iraq, statistics recently released by the Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD) are showing that an increasing number of parents in the Pajaro Valley are choosing to “opt out” of having their high school child’s information released to military recruiters.

Members of the Ghandi Peace Brigade and Code Pink have been holding vigil outside of Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco residence since March 11th demanding that the Speaker of the House stop funding the war. On March 13th, SF police ordered that Camp Pelosi tear down their tent but the activists are holding strong, refusing to leave, and they are asking others to join them. The Raggie Grannies have stepped in to offer support. A teach-in was held at 11:30am on March 14th at Pelosi's office in the SF Federal Building. On March 19th, several activists were arrested in the halls outside Pelosi's office after attempting to speak with her.

On the morning of March 19th a nonviolent direct action took place at Chevron World Headquarters, 6001 Bollinger Canyon Road in San Ramon. Protesters demanded an end to Chevron's oil crimes from Richmond to Iraq, saying "No blood for oil! Climate justice now! and Stop war, end empire!" About 80 people participated, from locking themselves to "oil" barrels in order to block one entrance to Chevron's headquarters to participating in street theater.

On Saturday, March 17th, from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm, thousands of peace activists converged at 16th & Broadway, in Sacramento, to protest the 4th year since the start of the criminal invasion of Iraq. The huge Sacramento anti-war protest occured in solidarity with national actions in D.C. on Saturday and S.F. on Sunday. The national protests are expected to be the largest since the Vietnam War. A die-in was scheduled for Sacramento at 11am on March 19th. Protests were also held in other Central Valley towns, including Stockton, Fresno, and Reedley. 1,000 people marched in downtown Fresno to demand an end to the war/occupation in Iraq.