formatted graphic version: http://migreens.org/press/pr050806.pdf
Ecological Wisdom * Social Justice * Grassroots Democracy * Non-Violence
>> Green Party of Michigan <<
http://www.migreens.org
Cranes for Peace
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August 6, 2005 -- 60th Anniversary of Hiroshima A-Bomb
peace comes with signs & symbols
For More Information Contact:
----------------------------
John Anthony La Pietra 269-781-9478 jalp@internet1.net
Calhoun County Coordinator, Green Party of Michigan
"Signs and Symbols" Mark Commemoration of Atom-Bomb Attack
==========================================================
Michigan Peace Activists Gather August 6 at
Marshall Peace Park; Hang 1,000 Origami Cranes,
Officially Kick Off "Unofficial Petition Drive"
Discuss Protecting Peace Doves, Students' Right
to Privacy from Military Recruiters
Signs and symbols of peace brought Michigan peace activists
to Marshall's small downtown Peace Park on the 60th anniversary
of the world's first atom-bomb attack in Hiroshima.
Participants from as far away as Bangor and Lansing strung
and hung paper cranes; received unofficial petitions to support
U.S. troops by bringing them home from Iraq now; and discussed
working to protect mourning doves (Michigan's official bird of
peace) from hunting, and high-school students from unwanted
military recruitment.
The event was emceed by John Anthony La Pietra, Calhoun County
Coordinator for the Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) -- but peaceful
people of all parties, or none, were welcomed to join in -- on the
day, and in all the follow-up peace activities.
Cranes for Peace Cover Peace Park
Dedicated to Sister City Relationship
-------------------------------------
Over 1,000 origami cranes were hung up on trees, bushes,
the park's Peace Pole, and markers honoring Marshall's Sister
City relationship with the town of Kôka in Japan -- part of
Michigan's own Sister State relationship with Japan's Shiga
Prefecture. The La Pietra family has done this at the park
for the past three years -- and John delivered one set of
cranes to Hiroshima at the 50th anniversary in 1995, hanging
them at the monument to radiation victim Sadako Sasaki.
Cranes are a symbol of good luck and peace; there is a
Japanese legend that anyone who folds 1,000 cranes gets a
wish granted. Sadako, a 2-year-old living in Hiroshima when
the bomb hit, loved to run in school sports-day competitions --
until, in 1955, she became too sick. She started folding
cranes, hoping to get her wish, recover her health, and run
again.
Unfortunately, she was still several hundred cranes short
of 1,000 when she died. Her classmates erected a memorial to
her in Hiroshima's own Peace Memorial Park. Now it, and many
other memorials in the park, are covered with cranes of all
sizes, shapes, and colors each year on the anniversary.
Marshall's park was filled with cranes this year, too.
Some participants brought more cranes of their own, to string
or to place individually. Some loose cranes bore a message on
their wings: "Support the Troops . . . Bring Them Home Now".
An Official Kick-Off of Unofficial Petitions
--------------------------------------------
That is also the message of the petition drive La Pietra
announced. The event marked the official kick-off of the drive,
but the petitions themselves caution signers that the petitions
are unofficial. State law and local charters make getting such
a question on the ballot all but impossible. Even if hundreds
of thousands of Michigan voters signed official petitions,
La Pietra notes, a statewide vote couldn't take place until
next November.
"Still, we can show the local council, commission, or board
how much support there is in their area for an immediate, staged
withdrawal from Iraq," he added. Local representatives could
pass resolutions, as many cities and states did to oppose the
extremism of the "PATRIOT Act". Or, if conditions permit, a
referendum could be held to let the people vote.
And there are advantages to an unofficial petition, La Pietra
adds. "We can use regular 11" paper, for one thing. And we can
collect signatures separately from students too young to register,
but still vulnerable to military recruitment abuses."
The petition is posted as an Adobe Acrobat file on GPMI's
Web site, at:
http://www.migreens.org/troops/petition.pdf
Students' Rights to Avoid Unwanted Military
Recruitment: "Peace and Freedom Go Hand in Hand"
-------------------------------------------------
La Pietra has been working with the Marshall Public Schools
to make sure high-school students know their personal information
is subject to being revealed to military recruiters under §9528
of the No Child Left Behind Act. He handed out a form created
by the ACLU of Michigan to help students and parents exercise
their rights to "opt out" of the disclosure.
MPS officials, after confirming with the US Department of
Education, have developed their own more detailed version of
the form -- which is scheduled to be available for students at
their pre-registration on August 15. La Pietra urged other peace
activists to get together with their local schools, and privacy-
rights supporters in their areas, to do the same.
"Students who want to hear from the military can do so --
but students who don’t want to be recruited, and parents who
don’t want their children left unprotected from the recruitment
abuses we’ve all heard about in the news recently, have the right
to opt out," he pointed out. "This is another situation where
peace and freedom go hand in hand."
The ACLU-Michigan forms list the Web page they are posted on:
http://www.aclumich.org/privacy/disclosureform.pdf
Mourning Doves: Another Symbol of Peace
Needs Protection from Hunting
-----------------------------
The other symbol of peace at the rally was the mourning dove --
threatened with hunting after a promise-breaking deal by Governor
Granholm ended 99 years of protection for the bird, recognized in
1998 as Michigan's official bird of peace.
But a statewide petition drive -- supported by Greens, alone
among Michigan political parties -- gathered over 275,000 signatures
to restore the birds' protection. This has canceled hunts scheduled
for this fall and next fall. The issue will be on the ballot state-
wide next November. And, notes La Pietra, "We can expect wildly
distorted ads from those who stand to gain if doves are hunted in
Michigan: those who want to sell the guns and the lead shot to do
it with."
Michigan Greens have recognized several times that hunting is
an important activity to many. But they "reject the idea that
hunting of the traditionally- and legally-recognized bird of peace
is a vital part of anyone's way of life or subsistence."
The latest Green statement on the issue is available on line at:
http://www.migreens.org/press/pr050609.htm
# # #
Green Party of Michigan * 548 S. Main Street *
* Ann Arbor, MI 48104 * 734-663-3555
--------------------------------------------------------------------
The Green Party of Michigan was formed in 1987 to address environmental
issues in Michigan politics. Greens are organized in all 50 states and
the District of Columbia. Each state Green Party sets its own goals
and creates its own structure, but US Greens agree on Ten Key Values:
Ecological Wisdom * Grassroots Democracy
Social Justice * Nonviolence
Community Economics * Decentralization
Feminism * Respect for Diversity
Personal and Global * Future Focus/
Responsibility Sustainability
created/distributed using donated labor
text of "Support the Troops -- Bring Them Home Now" petitions:
--------------------------------------------------------------
We registered voters of the county of _____________ in the state
of Michigan have signed our names below to declare that we believe
the United States should begin an immediate, phased withdrawal of
its troops from Iraq. We see it as the best policy for our country
to end its unjustified, undeclared war in Iraq, and work with the
rest of the world to arrest and prosecute all individuals who were
actually responsible for crimes against humanity committed on
September 11, 2001 and since that date. We believe that the best
way to support our troops is to bring them home now. And we call
on our elected representatives and appointed authorities at all
levels of government to recognize these positions, and do everything
within their abilities and powers to implement and carry them out.
(NOTE: This petition is unofficial -- because it is darned near
impossible under Michigan law, local charters, etc. to get a legally
binding vote on things like this . . . and if we could, it might not
happen until next November! Still, we do hope to collect enough
genuine signatures of registered Michigan voters to show the moral
authority and the power of the people behind the drive for an end
to this war, and get some action from our governments. We'd also
like to keep in touch with you about this effort, and about the
Green Party of Michigan -- but if you'd rather not hear from us,
about either or both of these causes, just say so. On the other
hand, if you'd like to collect signatures in your area, or suggest
an event we should be covering, or join the Green Party, just say
that.)
**********************************************************
Other Contacts:
Green Party of Michigan
548 S Main St
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-663-3555
info@migreens.org
posted to web 6 Aug 2005