PEACE RALLY PLANNED FOR SUNDAY, APRIL 13,
IN COLORADO SPRINGS'MEMORIAL PARK,
corner of Pikes Peak & Hancock.
Retired Brigadier General, Marine's Mother, Vietnam Vet to Speak Colorado Springs, April 8, 2003- The Southern Colorado Coalition Against the War on Iraq (SCCAWI), in conjunction with
the Pikes Peak Justice and Peace Commission (PPJPC), will host a Peace Rally and March to be held Colorado Springs' Memorial Park on Sunday, April 13. The event will begin at 12:00 noon near the Northwest corner of the park, at Pikes Peak and Hancock, and will include
music and speakers and a march along Pike's Peak Avenue.
Among those scheduled to speak at the event are Brigadier General Owen W. Lentz, Retired, and military mom, Christy Pitts, whose son is in the US navy and currently serving in Iraq. "We must not park our consciences about the direction of our nation's foreign policy when war begins," says General Lentz. "Rather, we must encourage a ceasefire as early as possible and
a return to working closely with the U.N. and NATO, both in helping Iraqis rebuilding their country and in working to calm the rage our actions have caused among many in the Arab world."
"This rally is a peaceful gathering," says Criz Stoddard, an organizer of the Southern Colorado Coalition Against the War in Iraq, "This is a platform to provide a voice to the good people here who disagree that our current Administration's actions are the only possible solution to the situation in Iraq. We truly do support our troops, our friends and family members who are serving overseas, and we want them brought home safely and swiftly."
"We want Colorado Springs to know that we stand in solidarity with the millions of people across the globe who believe this war is both illegal and immoral." says Dorothy Schlaeger, executive director of the Pikes Peak Justice and Peace Commission.
About SCCAWI On Friday, March 7, the Pikes Peak Justice and Peace Commission endorsed the formation of a broad-based, non-violent coalition of individuals and groups in Southern Colorado to oppose war on Iraq. This coalition (SCCAWI) extends the non-violent antiwar mobilizing efforts of the Pikes Peak Justice and Peace Commission to include Southern Colorado groups and individuals opposing war on Iraq. Last week, representatives from SCCAWI met with the Colorado Springs Police Department to coordinate their efforts to assure a peaceful and
incident-free rally.
ABOUT BRIGADIER GENERAL OWEN LENTZ (retired)
go to http://www.af.mil/news/biographies/lentz_ow.html