"New Name... Same Shame!" -- January 17th Protest Against the SOA in Philadelphia!
Date:
Wednesday, January 17
Time: 4 - 6 PM
Location: City Hall
Dear Friends,
As you are aware, on Wednesday, January 17 the School of the Americas will officially reopen (after a few weeks "respite") under a new name: the "Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation." Congressional opponents and the Pentagon managed to create a benign enough name for this infamous school, but the end product is as venomous as ever. We, of course, do not acknowledge the name change, because no matter what they choose to call it, it will always be the SOA: "School of Assassins!"
On January 17 we want to send a strong message to Congress, the Pentagon, the media, and the rest of the world that we are not fooled... That we will continue to wage a grassroots campaign against this infamous school until a Truth Commission is formed to investigate the links between the training at the SOA and the tens of thousands of atrocities connected with SOA alumni... we will continue to raise our voices until impunity is ended and the SOA is closed for good!
Please join us to Speak Truth to Power on Wednesday, January 17 in Philadelphia from 4 -6 PM in front of City Hall (15th street side). Through music, puppets, street theater* and our strong presence, we will show that our commitment to end the ongoing suffering caused by SOA graduates is stronger than ever!
Let us Unite our voices
to deplore the tortures, killings, kidnappings and impunity that
has been an ugly legacy of the SOA and the Pentagon for far too
long!!! ... And let us Unite our voices to make change... REAL
CHANGE for our sisters and brothers throughout Latin America!
* We are looking for additional "bodies" for our street
theater (options for low risk, high risk and No risk of arrest
are available)! Please give us a call if you are interested: (215)
473-2162.
** To view photos from Ft. Benning and other actions; to download
a sample letter to send to your Representative; to order an SOA
Watch t-shirt, video, or book; or to acquire a wealth of other
information about the campaign to close the SOA visit: www.soawne.org
In Peace & Solidarity,
Linda, Sheila, Sebastian & Peter ~ the staff at SOA Watch/NE
PLEASE DISTRIBUTE THIS INFORMATION WIDELY!!!!!!!!