Piazza Navona
Thursday, May 21, 11am-8pm
(USC4P&J will meet from 5-7pm)
This Thursday, May 21, there will be an all-day event aimed both at
informing about, as well as speaking out against, instruments of war.
These
include U.S. military bases in Italy and the nuclear weapons stored on
them, Italy's decision to purchase 131 Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike
Fighter jets to the tune of 13 billion euro, and its participation in the
U.S.
Missile Defense System as well as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This
is
an Italian initiative in which we, as U.S. citizens, bear a particularly
crucial
responsibility.
The event will also be in support of the law of popular initiative calling
on
Parliament to undertake a comprehensive review of military bases and
servitude in Italy. Last year, 60,000 signatures - 10,000 beyond the
required number - were collected, though the bill now lies languishing in
Parliament.
There will be videos, exhibitions, teach-ins as well as music and street
theatre. Italian cartoonist Vauro will stop by and our friends at
Arcobaleno
will be performing. See the program below.
USC4P&J supports this initiative and we will be on hand from 5-7pm with
our Military Spending Bean Poll. Transparent tubes filled with beans of
different colors will create a bar graph comparing the cost of the F-35
fighter
jets to social spending programs such as education, health, reconstruction
of L'Aquila, etc. Tourists and Italians will be invited to have their say
by
moving the beans from the F-35s to the programs they feel will truly
provide
greater security for all. We will also have bi-lingual flyers to hand out
on the
square.
Join us between 5-7pm at Piazza Navona. If you can't make it in the
evening, drop by anytime during the day to show your support. Let us know
if you will be coming and at what time as a few of us will be around in
the
early afternoon as well: info@peaceandjustice.it
We will then make our way over together to Arcobaleno for our film 'This
Palestinian Life.'
Let's help throw a monkey wrench in the war machine!
Program:
12pm: Press conference Dorothea Krauss of the Assemblea Permanente
NO F35 of Novara, Vauro, the Italian cartoonist and Attorney Claudio
Giangiacomo, author of the law of popular initiative.
4pm: Book presentation - "Un posto civile" by Antonello Mangano, on the
U.S. military base in Sigonella, Italy.
Throughout the afternoon, there will be videos, teach-ins, exhibitions,
music
and street theatre by Mario Casale and his group from Arcobaleno.
The event is organized by the Committee for the Law of Popular Initiative
on
Military Bases and Military Servitude, with the support of Rete
Disarmiamoli,
Rete Semprecontrolaguerra, Sinistra Critica, Rete dei Comunisti, Mondo
Senza Guerre, U.S. Citizens for Peace and Justice, Circolo Arci "Arcobaleno" di Garbatella, Comitato per la Pace X° Municipio di Roma,
Comitato NOF35-Novara, Pandora TV, Comitato per il disarmo e la
smilitarizzazione-Napoli, Comitato per la smilitarizzazione di Sigonella,
Comitato per la riconversione di Camp Darby.
Stop the War Machine! 
