NOT IN OUR NAME Nationwide Protests

"I had been concerned that it would be difficult to keep the project
moving beyond this one event - but it seems to have a life of its own, and it's definitely moving."

--- From Kickapoo Region, SW Wisconsin




"Let us make this splendid pledge with all of our hearts. But let us
also back our words with our bodies, with direct action - indeed with nonviolent resistance. Because the psychopaths in power wrap themselves in the flag and hide behind the law as they terrorize people everywhere. For we must say "NO!" to their criminality for our faith and sanity, for the children and innocent, for sisters and brothers globally."

--- Statement from Plowshares Activist Philip Berrigan for June 6 Pledge Kick-off Events

New York City, New York

The event was moved indoors because of the threat of rain - and did it pour, with thunder and lightning!!! Out in Washington Square Park (our original location), soaked but dedicated stilt walkers from Circus Amok and others on the ground waving globe flags got out the Not In Our Name message, talked to people and directed them to Judson Memorial Church nearby, a church with a long history of being at the center of progressive activity

The event was well publicized thanks to WBAI (the local Pacifica radio station) and a dedicated outreach crew, so when the doors opened at 5:30, people poured in. More then 400 people participated in the kick-off event. There was a great feeling of a growing community of resistance against this war, and people were moved and inspired by a powerful program.
Speakers included Tom Koutsoukos from the International Solidarity Movement, who was recently deported from Israel for attempting to bring food into the Church of the Nativity during the recent siege; Paul Rehm, a volunteer with Voices in the Wilderness, who talked about his trip to Iraq and the human cost of sanctions; Arshad Majid from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), NY spoke about how the Muslim community in America has been affected by 9/11; Robina Niaz, Not In Our Name organizer and a Pakistani Muslim, spoke about her fears regarding the threat of war between India and Pakistan and how " the U.S. government's war on terrorism has unleashed terror around the world." Jeremy Glick, editor of the book, Another World is Possible and whose father was killed in the 9/11 attacks, spoke out against the government's use of his father's memory to wage war on the world; women from South Asians Against Police Brutality and Racism did a powerful performance based on testimonies from people who are being detained; Syed Ali, a Pakistani man with a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice and a U.S. resident for 20 years, described his 105 days as a detainee at Riker's Island.


San Francisco/Berkeley/Oakland, California

The Bay Area reports they had a great, exciting, and wonderful kick off for Not In Our Name. At 6 p.m., people gathered at Martin Luther King Park (Center and MLK Blvd) for a rally and the recitation of the pledge led by a poet from La Pena Cultural Center. Then there was a spirited march led by an Afro-Brazilian youth-plus drumming group on a flatbed.

The Afro-Brazilian ensemble kicked things into high gear as the demonstration marched to People's Park. The momentum just kept building as more and more people joined in. There was a great mix of people creating great energy and excitement. Flyers got out to cars passing by and nearly everyone was receptive. People were dancing, marching, chanting and talking to everyone who came out of their houses and businesses. Some guys in suits (who'd come from Minnesota for a wedding) jumped out of an SUV to join the march. People came from Sacramento, Willard, Central Valley and other surrounding parts of the Bay to join in.

Along the way, many people joined the march. It was intergenerational and international. At People's Park there were more speakers, and more people took up the pledge. Then the demo marched back to MLK Park for a candle light pledge taking and public speak-out. Tiki torches and luminaries made by 2nd and 3rd graders with the globe drawn on them lit up the park. Some 350 people participated.

Paul Flores did a beautiful call and response in leading the Pledge. Food Not Bombs brought delicious food. There were gorgeous signs and flags that said "War Without End? Not In Our Name." Speakers included: Long-time activist Yuri Kochiyam; Mario Santos from BAYAN; Students for Justice for Palestine; Jeff Patterson; International Socialist Organization; Van Jones; Alison Weir; Aimara for Refuse & Resist!; Xochitl; Shingavi Sehal; Andrea from CopWatch; and others. Mystic and Family Circus performed, along with Loco Bloco, and poet Dream.

Endorsers include: Anakbayan - Bay Area; Berkeley Stop the War Coalition; East Bay Coalition Against the War; Ella Baker Center; Filipino Workers' Association - SF; Global Exchange; International Socialist Organization; Yuri Kochiyama; Loco Bloco; Barbara Lubin, Middle East Children's Alliance; First Quarter Storm Movement - No. CA; Marin Peace & Justice Coalition; MEChA UC Berkeley; Philippine Information Network Services; Refuse & Resist!; Revolution Books; Wilson Riles Jr.; Sonoma Peace Action; San Francisco Town Hall Committee Against War and Hate; SALAAM (South Asian League of Artists in AMerica)
For more information: bayareapledge [at] yahoo.com

The Seattle Not In Our Name committee decided to kick off June 6th by participating in a demonstration in support of detained immigrants at the INS building and doing a street performance at a busy intersection in Capitol Hill, a neighborhood in Seattle with lots of foot traffic where people hang out at night.
In preparation for the day, local artists made five flags, each with a black design on white on one side and a white design on black on the other. The largest flag was the flag of the Earth. The other four flags had various designs and slogans - Not in Our Name, Proclaim Life, Another World is Possible; and stenciled graphics of the Earth, hands wrapped around prison bars that resembled a barcode, and a missile aimed at children. We also made placards with different stanzas of the pledge. An artist designed bold and simple Not In Our Name flyers and stickers that were seen around town, and members of the Not In Our Name committee went "chalking" the night before the action and decorated the neighborhood with inspiring thoughts and slogans. They reported overhearing a number of conversations among passersby over what it meant to say "Not in Our Name."

Throughout the day on June 6th, The NION contingent dressed in black and white with red bandannas, and wore black and white face paint designs. From 4:00 - 5:30 P.M., NION joined a weekly demonstration at the INS building organized by the Arab American Community Coalition. The demo was in support of, and to draw attention to, the detention of the Hamoui family, a Syrian family that has been held at the Seattle INS detention center since mid-February, and a Turkish immigrant named Bulent Ertur. There were about 35 people there. Throughout the demonstration, you could hear people from inside the detention center shouting "Thank you!" and "Freedom!" and "Viva!"

Following the demonstration, people headed to Capitol Hill to do the street performance. The black and white painted performers appeared on all four corners of the intersection with the pledge placards. They were soon joined by the Flag Corps, whose members also stationed themselves at different corners. Local artists passed out Not in Our Name cupcakes and recycled clothing with the "hands around the prison barcode" design. About 50 people gathered at the intersection and got copies of the pledge and leaflets about our next meeting and action. The intersection became a little congested as cars slowed to see what was going on. There were many honks of support. Then, as the flags began to move, everyone followed them to converge on one corner, and someone climbed atop a utility box and led a mass taking of the pledge. People raised their fists and took the pledge loudly and with heart! The visuals were very dramatic and hearing everyone taking the pledge was a beautiful sound.

Off of this energy, the Earth flag led the crowd to the plaza at Seattle Central Community College a couple blocks away. People chanted "War Without End? Not In Our Name!" and "Another World is Possible! We Pledge to Make it Real!" There we had a speak-out and spoken word performances. Many people expressed themselves at the open mic and a significant number of people expressed interest in joining the local Not In Our Name committee. Our goal is to broaden out much, much more, and lay even more of a basis for people and groups to take up this project in whatever diverse ways they can imagine. The actions on June 6th were attended by a mix of youth and older people, and people from an array of other organizations as well as people new to political life.

Our next action will be to protest at the University of Washington's commencement exercises outside of Husky Stadium, where Madeline Albright is being awarded an honorary doctorate. We haven't decided what we'll do outside, but progressive students have made a call for the graduates and their families and friends to "turn their backs" on Albright! (Saturday, June 15th, 10:30 a.m., Husky Stadium)

For more information: seattle_notinourname [at] hotmail.com.


There are planning meetings to continue the ongoing NION project- http://www.notinourname.net