http://www.aztlan.net/march_17_mobilization.htm
Notice that this "Protest" actually has nothing to do with Iraq
California Mobilization for Peace in Iraq,
Immigration Reform, and Peace Among
the Divergent Ethnic and Racial Communities
March 17 Mobilization in San Bernardino, California
The National Alliance for Human Rights (NAHR), a network of individuals and organizations committed to the promotion of human rights, social justice, and empowerment held a "Kick-off" press conference on Thursday, March 1 at Noon in front of the Martin Luther King Statue, located at San Bernardino City Hall, 300 North "D" Street to announce an "Anti-War, Pro-Immigration Reform, and Peace in Our Communities" march and rally, scheduled for Saturday, March 17 in San Bernardino, California.
The press conference convoked various leaders and organizational representatives from throughout Southern California for the purpose of announcing an unprecedented "March 17th Mobilization," which includes a march and rally. The line-up for the march will start with a "pre-rally" at 11:30 a.m. at La Placita Park, located at the corner of 6th Street and Mount Vernon. The March will begin at Noon; proceed on Mount Vernon Ave to 5th Street, travel west on 5th Street to D Street to City Hall, located at 300 North "D" Street.
The March will culminate with a "Solidarity Rally" from 1 to 3pm to be held in front of the statue of Martin Luther King at City Hall. The rally's program will include speakers, music, poetry readings, and other forms of entertainment. Tables will be set-up providing information on citizenship training, voter registration, and on the rights of undocumented workers should they be detained by ICE or the police.
According to Armando Navarro, NAHR Coordinator, "The significance of this Anti-War, Pro-Immigrant Rights, and Peace in our Communities Mobilization is that people from divergent ethnicities and races are being asked to come together in a spirit of unity to demonstrate concern for these three themes."
Navarro added, "On the issue of the Iraq war, we want our troops withdrawn from Iraq and a negotiated peace with Iran; on the issue of immigration, we want humane and comprehensive immigration reform that will legalize the 12 million undocumented workers; and on the issue of peace in our communities, we want peace among California's divergent ethnic/racial communities."
Details of how the "march and rally" will be utilized to put forth strategies to deal with these three complex and critical issues will be explained at the press conference. But already prior to the March 17th Mobilization, the following actions are being developed.
On the issue of immigration reform, the NAHR will participate in a national massive grass roots mobilization to Washington D.C. to ensure the participation of pro-immigrant advocates in the upcoming Congressional hearings on immigration reform being called by Majority leader, Senator Harry Reid and Speaker, Congresswoman Nancy Palosi. The NAHR is calling for a return to the great mobilizations of last year- in short, a revival of activism and mobilization.
On the issue of the War in Iraq, the NAHR will be coordinating with a number of other organizations to hold teach-ins at universities and colleges, rallies, marches, and other forms of direct action in order to pressure the Democrats in Congress and the Bush Administration to take the necessary steps to withdrawal U.S. forces from Iraq. With the increasing possibilities of a U.S. War against Iran, the NAHR commits itself to coalesce with others to bring an end to the Bush Quagmire in the Middle East
On the issue of Peace in Our communities the NAHR in conjunction with other organizations, leaders, and politicians, the idea of calling for a peace and conflict resolution summit to come up with the necessary steps to put a halt to the growing ethnic/racial conflicts in California. The NAHR already has organized education task forces to deal with the growing Latino/Black divide at the high school level.
These are politically propitious times to foment people participation. We intend to use the "March 17th Mobilization" in San Bernardino to ignite the fires of activism on the issues of peace in Iraq, immigration reform, and peace in our communities," concluded Navarro.