If the government launches a new attack on Iraq, concerned people will converge on Vandenberg Air Force Base for a nonviolent security zone occupation to challenge, confront, and disrupt its global surveillance, weapons targeting and guidance satellite launch complex (also used to guide nuclear missiles and Star Wars weapons).

EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACTION starting the weekend after the new attack on Iraq begins, people are asked to gather at the Vandenberg action peace camp/base camp land (contact Vandenberg Action Coalition for directions).

In addition to the Emergency Response Action, there will also be a rally on Armed Forces Day, May 17, 2003 with Medea Benjamin, Roy Bourgeois, Kathy Kelly, Tensie Hernandez (Guadalupe Catholic Worker), Bud Boothe (Los Olivos resident), Guari Delgado (builder and poet), and more fabulous people, along with nonviolent backcountry action May 17 through May 24.

The Vandenberg 2002/2003 actions and resistance campaign is endorsed by Voices in the Wilderness, Global Exchange, School of the Americas Watch, Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space, Tri Valley Cares, Salinas Action League (831-754-5554) and others. These upcoming actions at Vandenberg have been reported in other media outlets, such as a March 9th article in the Santa Barbara News Press and a March 10th article Armed Forces Day protest set, in the Santa Maria Times.

[ Article on Upcoming Actions | Military Globalization Project | Previous Actions Repoted in GroundWork News ]

Attend the Santa Cruz School Board meeting on Wednesday March 12 at 6:00pm at 2931 Mission St. to support the Youth Alliance of Santa Cruz High School.

The Youth Alliance will propose that the School Board enact a PRIVACY & TRUTH resolution that requires 1) student contact information be released to military recruiters only when parents OPT-IN by giving written informed consent to the school for such contacts, and 2) full disclosure and TRUTH about military recruitment and military service, by annually providing to all students information about conscription and alternatives to military service.

[ Article | Youth Alliance's Resolution | No Child Left Behind Act ]

Come to a student run teach-in Wednesday March 12th at 7:00pm in Classroom Unit 1 at UCSC. Find out how America's Universities are in service of the warfare state, how University of California at Santa Cruz exemplifies the academic-military partnership, how these forces are transforming the campus, and what you can do about it.

For more information about the organized efforts at UCSC to resist war and create peace while exposing and challenging the academic-military partnership, read these earlier posts on SC-IMC: UCSC says NO! to War in Iraq, UCSC Faculty Senate Passes Anti-war Resolution, UCSC, Weapons Research, and Universities in the Service of the Warfare State, and March 5th Anti-War Day of Action at UCSC.

[ Teach-In | UC Demilitariztion Project | Standing United for Peace ]

All are welcome to attend a lecture about U.S. foreign policy in the middle east and listen to political songs of peace and justice. Monday, March 10, 7:30pm at Kresge Town Hall, UCSC.

This is a benefit for Free Radio Santa Cruz 96.3fm featuring Stephen Zunes and David Rovics.

[ Details | Audio: Zunes - The Role of Progressives in a Time of Empire ]

Vigil Round-the-Clock at Cooper and Pacifc Against Aggression Abroad & Repression at Home. Stop The War Against the Poor in Santa Cruz!

Others are invited to bring down supplies, including tables, tarps (for inclement weather or possibly another "Sex for Peace Event"), vehicles (to move onto or into if police begin harassing tablers), musical instruments, colorful outfits, blankets, clothing, markers, cameras, camcorders (video clip from Sunday), instructional materials, puppets, chalk, ....and spread the word!

Call 423-4833 to Help. Every Day, Every Night Until We Stop the War ANYTIME OF THE DAY OR NIGHT Keep the Vigil Going; Resistance Begins At Home!

[ Report on Day 4 | Report on Day 3 | Report on Days 2 and 1 ]

Bring friends, family, and other trusted folks for a picnic and workshops on direct action and affinity group organizing. Sunday, March 9th, from 12 noon until sunset at the San Lorenzo Park. Meet at the Duck Pond @ 12 noon.

Some very brave and wonderful people are already organizing direct actions for when the war starts. This is necessary, but from educated predictions of what the war will look like, it will be too late to begin direct action after a war starts... The warmakers must hear us loud and clear BEFORE war starts: We will shut you down and not let up until the threat of war is abandoned.

[ Description of Workshops | Call for Direct Action NOW ]

International Women's Day Solidarity Event & Benefit Concert

A local folk goddess will be singing the world awake, there will be radical muse, a women's empowerment drumming troupe, performance art, alternative family education, and many more people participating locally in International Women's Day 2003.

Saturday 7:30pm at 418 Project

[ Details on 418 event | Santa Cruz Pride documentary screening ]

Santa Cruz Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines recruiting offices stayed closed all day Wednesday, March 5, because of a large rally and civil disobedience action held outside their offices at 41st and Clares Streets in Capitola. They will remain 'closed for peace' until further notice, as recruiters plan to stay away as long as protests continue.

People are asked to come back to the recruiting offices at 12 noon on Thursday, Friday, and Monday, March 6, 7, and 10 to support the effort to keep the recruiting offices closed.

Come with signs, songs or poetry, or simply come for a lunch break.

This protest is being organized by the Santa Cruz Peacemakers of the Resource Center for Nonviolence, in coordination with the national Not In Our Name Campaign, which has called for people around the country to take their resistance to war to the next highest level.

Read this report posted on Wednesday along with these photos 1 and 2.

Meanwhile more than 300 students at UCSC rallied in the bookstore plaza in conjunction with an international student strike called for by the National Youth and Student Peace Coalition.

[ Full Details | Update ]

Activists with the International Solidarity Movement, an organization of international volunteers taking direct action in defence of Palestinian rights in the Israeli occupied territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, will be speaking at UCSC's Oakes College room #105 this Thursday at 7:30pm.

The speakers include a former program manager of Santa Cruz Hillel, a UCSC graduate student, and an Israeli Security Zone infiltrator.

[ Announcement | Article | Resource Center for Nonviolence ]

On February 28th, University of California, Santa Cruz, announced its intention of breaking off its relationship with the infamous Sodexho. UCSC is the second to last UC campus to break ties with Sodexho, and has been amazingly quick to respond to demands made by American Federation of Service and Municiple Employees (AFSCME) and Students for Labor Solidarity.

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