POOR PEOPLE’S ECONOMIC HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN
MARCH FOR OUR LIVES:
Money for Housing and Health Care, Not for War!!
DURING THE U.S. ELECTIONS
As the U.S. Elections approach, the Poor of the United States will March to insist that:
ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE!!
ANOTHER UNITED STATES IS NECESSARY!!.
On September 2nd, 2008, the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign (PPEHRC) will hold a massive non-violent “MARCH FOR OUR LIVES” during the Republican National Convention in St. Paul , Minnesota in the U.S. to demand “MONEY FOR HOUSING AND HEALTH CARE, NOT FOR WAR!” The PPEHRC has led the largest marches of the poor during the last two U.S. presidential elections, at the Republican Conventions in Philadelphia in 2000 and New York City in 2004, in which George W. Bush was named as presidential candidate. The Republican National Convention (RNC) is where the Republican Party will name their party’s presidential candidate, as the people of the United States vote for George W. Bush’s successor for president of the U.S.
In the days preceding this year’s March for Our Lives in Minnesota , poor and homeless people will lead Poverty Reality Tours through Minneapolis and St. Paul . We will hold a National Truth Commission and a World Court of Women about poverty, war and human rights violations under the Bush Administration, both in the United States and in different parts of the world. Poor and homeless families from across the country who will be joining us will stay in a national “Bushville” tent city, an encampment that will demonstrate the conditions of poverty caused by Bush Administration policies, and serve as base of operations for our actions throughout the week.
A CALL FOR INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPATION AND SUPPORT
We call on the International Community, on movements, networks, campaigns and unions around the world to join us for this historic event at this crucial time in U.S. and world history.
The March for Our Lives and other activities at the RNC will be an important step in PPEHRC’s ongoing efforts to build a broad movement led by the poor for economic human rights in the United States . Inspite of the increasing dangers and repression we confront, we are committed to waking up this “sleeping giant” that is the people of the United States . For we are convinced that when the American people are organized to struggle for our own interests in unity with the peoples of the world, not in the interests of the U.S. government against the peoples of the world, that it is then that “Another World” truly will be “Possible.” As we approach this pivotal election, we are determined to ensure that the poor, the homeless and the uninsured of the U.S. , together with movements from around the world, have a voice to demand a new direction for our country and for the world. We need the presence and solidarity of the international community as we organize the poor and the most marginalized sectors of the U.S. population to march en masse to declare:
“Another World is Possible, Another U.S. is Necessary!”
WE ASK THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO ACCOMPANY US AT THIS TIME:
As a Human Rights Monitor: During the last two elections, in the time before and during our marches at the Republican Conventions, the PPEHRC has experienced a high level of government surveillance, infiltration, sabotage, harassment and threats of long-term imprisonment of leaders, and of children of marchers being taken by the government. We need international Human Rights Monitors to monitor, document and expose any human rights violations committed against participants in the March.
As a witness and participant in the National Truth Commission and the World Court of Women: Help us expose the reality of the U.S. economic model by highlighting the stories of families in the U.S. who are suffering and dying under this model. Testify to poverty and war caused by the Bush Administration around the world.
Join us for exchanges between movements, unions and organizations from across the United States and movements and networks from all over the world. Help cover the events in August and September for your organization’s, network’s, or movement’s website or press. Help us show the world the reality of the poverty and human rights violations in the US , the truth about the US electoral process, and to show the world that people of the U.S. are resisting our government and fighting for “Another U.S.” Come help us: We need interns and volunteers before and during our RNC events to help with translation, internet coverage, media, outreach and organizing among the poor, documentation of economic human rights violations in the U.S. , and preparation for the week’s events and for the U.S. and international delegations that will be coming.
IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO COME, HOLD A SOLIDARITY EVENT IN YOUR COUNTRY, TO EXPRESS THE UNITY BETWEEN THE PEOPLE AND THE POOR OF THE UNITED STATES AND MOVEMENTS AROUND THE WORLD. Let us know what you are doing and we will include it on our website and news coverage.
Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign
**** 2008 Republican National Convention****
Aug. 1 - 30 Minnesota Poverty Bus Tour
We will make stops in communities throughout Minnesota to expose conditions created by “free trade agreements” and other neoliberal policies, to share experiences, exchange ideas, collect human rights documentation, and join local actions in the fight for economic human rights.
Aug. 29 World Court Of Women
PPEHRC will host a World Court of Women to expose poverty and war in the US and around the world caused by the Bush Administration, before a jury of human rights defenders and movement leaders from around the world.
Sept. 1 March to Stop the War!
On the first day of the convention, PPEHRC will join the ‘March to Stop the War!’, bringing together the issues of poverty and the war in Iraq . We will march to stop the wars – at home and abroad!
Sept. 1 National Truth Commission on human rights violations in the US .
After the march, we will gather to hear stories of resistance and struggle told by people from communities across the country who have suffered economic human rights violations here in the richest country in the world.
SEPT. 2 March for Our Lives:
Money for Health Care and Housing, Not for War!
We will march because as poverty, hunger, unemployment and homelessness grow throughout the United States and the world, political leaders from both major U.S. parties have abandoned us. We cannot afford to be silent. We cannot afford to be "disappeared" from the public eye and the political debates as our families suffer. We will bring together thousands of poor people, along with community organizations from across the country, students, social workers, union members, lawyers, religious leaders, international delegations and everyone who stands for social and economic human rights.
For more information please contact:
WWW.ECONOMICHUMANRIGHTS.ORG INFO@ECONOMICHUMANRIGHTS.ORG JEN@ECONOMICHUMANRIGHTS.ORG
