[Contact form] Proposal for Saturday, Dec. 17th action

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Andy Thayer sent a message using the contact form at http://occupychi.org/contact.

December 17th is the 3-month anniversary of Occupy Wall Street. OWS was inspired not only by the rip-offs of the 99% by the 1%, but by the lack of transparency in government and the private sector that facilitated these rip-offs.

December 17th is also the day after alleged Wikileaker Bradley Manning begins his first pre-trial hearing after more than a year and half in prison. If the allegations against Manning are true, then rather than being incarcerated, he should be celebrated as a true hero for forcing transparency on the war crimes committed by the United States, and exposing the dirty dealings of the Bush and Obama administrations with brutal dictators around the world.

December 17th is also the 1-year anniversary of the death of the Tunisian street vendor, Mohamed Bouazizi, who sparked the Arab Spring and inspired activism around the globe. Many see the Wikileaks revelations about U.S. dealings with North African dictators as having helped spread the Spring.

To commemorate this important date, the Midwest Anti-War Mobilization proposes to Occupy Chicago that we hold a State Street march among the holiday shoppers on Saturday, December 17th, carrying signs, banners and passing out handbills to spread the word about these important issues. We propose that people meet at 12 noon on that day at Federal Plaza, corner of Adams and Dearborn Streets, and then shortly afterwards proceed over to State Street.

We already have some Bradley Manning banners and signs, and are in the process of procuring more of the excellent handbills issued by the Courage to Resist organization.

For background, here's a great article in the UK Guardian about the role of Bradley Manning in allegedly forcing the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq:
http://apps.facebook.com/theguardian/world/2011/nov/21/bradley-manning-hearing-date-set

Here, also, is a great "anonymous" video about the date's significance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoKIBW4keeQ&mid=5361722

Proposal respectfully submitted by Andy Thayer on behalf of the Midwest Anti-War Mobilization
www.ChicagoMassAction.org
773.209.1187, cell