World Can’t Wait Drive Out the Bush Regime’s call for 100 Teach-Ins on campuses across the country in the beginning of the Spring semester. We encourage people interested in hosting an event on their campus to contact us right away at: teachin@worldcantwait.org
The Bush Agenda. Understanding It. Stopping It.
The world faces a grave emergency. The very nature of U.S. society and
its relationship to other countries are being reshaped in horrific
ways before our eyes. Yet the full implications of these sweeping
changes are not widely understood, even among those who oppose the Bush
administration. This must change and resistance must grow.
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Resources:
Tues., January 23rd, 7:00 p.m. Wends., January 31st at 7pm Jan 31st 11:30 AM-1:15 PM Teach- In on Reproductive Rights *Screening of the Bush Crimes Commission DVD on the Bush adminstration’s attacks on global health programs Sat. February 3rd *Remarks from Ehren Watada (video) *Ann Wright, Retired Army Colonel and State Department official *Dr. Dahlia Wasfi, Iraqi-American Physician *Iraq war Veterans The trial is being presented by the Committee United For Lt. Watada NYC, World Can’t Wait, Drive Out the Bush Regime, Not in Our Name and The National Lawyers Guild Brooklyn. It is endorsed by Military Families Speak Out NYC February 7th – 6:30 P.M. * Larry Everest, author of ” Oil, Power, and Empire: Iraq and the U.S. Global Agenda” *Liam Madden, Iraqi war veteran and author of the Appeal for Redress *Sunsara Taylor, advisory board member of World Can’t Wait and recently debated Bill O’Reilly Wends, Feb.14th *Michael G. Hadfield ( Zoology) *Michael Mottl ( Oceanography) Thurs., February 15th-6:30 P.M *Esther Kaplan, author of ” With God On Our Side” *Liam Madden, Iraqi war veteran and author of the Appeal for Redress Fri., February 23rd *Michael Ratner, President of the Center for Constitutional Rights and co- author of “Guantanamo: What the World Should Know” *Lynne February 26th-7:30 P.M. *Cristina Page, author of ” How the Pro Choice Movement Saved America” *Vanessa Brocato, on the Bush administration’s assault on AIDS programs February 28th *Les Roberts, led study published in ” The Lancent” revealing the U.S. occupation is responsible for taking 655,000 Iraqi lives *Dr. Robert Fullilove on Hurricane Katrina February 28th – 11:30 A.M-1 PM Wends., Feb. 28th *Jon Van Dyke – UH Richardson School of Law Professor *Laura Lyons – UH English Department Professor Wednesday, February 28 *Jorge Hirsch, Professor of Physics at UCSD* Last year, Jorge put together a petition signed by more than *Gloria Daviston, Gloria was stationed, among other places, in Tehran, Iran, local information: sd.worldcantwait@gmail.com 619-944-6786 SPONSORED BY: World Can’t Wait – S.D. P.R.E.P. – UCSD Wends. March 14th Friday, March 16 Screening of “Healing Iraq”, a powerful 15-minute This will be followed by an informal talk by Evan Lyon of
Tues, March 20 Attacks on our Civil Liberties: Spying, Lying and Rendition *Jim Rodbard, President of the ACLU, Michigan Tues, March 20 Impeachment in the Time of Presidential Lawlessness *Doug Mulkoff, National Lawyer’s Guild Impeachment Project Wends, March 21st War Crimes in Iraq – The Case for Impeachment *Ron Kramer, WMU Professor Thurs, March 22nd Climate Change and Regime Change: Stop the Neo Con War on Retired Professor and Environmentalist, Tom Small
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The electoral defeat of the Republican majority in Congress revealed the widespread revulsion against the Bush administration and the Iraq War. The Bush administration remains in office, however, and the foundational elements of the Bush program remain either openly promoted or untouched by the new Democratic Congressional leadership.
If ever there was ever a need for people to deeply understand the reality that we still confront, IT IS NOW.
This is why The World Can’t Wait – Drive Out the Bush Regime, in conjunction with the Bush Crimes Commission and others, calls for 100 Teach-Ins Across America to take place on college campuses aiming for the period of late January through March. They will address:
the on-going occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, with ominous threats of war on Iran – all expressions of a strategy of unchallenged global supremacy and an illegal doctrine of “preventive war”
the legalization of torture, warrantless spying, intensified attacks on immigrants, moves to abolish the legal right of habeas corpus, and consolidation of power in the executive branch
the abandonment of New Orleans in the face of a foreseeable and foreseen disaster, with its ugly aftermath of racial cleansing
the dramatic erosion of the separation of church and state, with serious motion towards theocracy where a narrow and hateful brand of Christian fundamentalism would rule
the growing danger that abortion will be outlawed, steps to eliminate birth control, and the introduction of “covenant marriage”
the suppression of science that doesn’t fit the extreme right’s religious, political and economic agenda
The impact of a nationwide teach-in movement addressing these crucial issues can dramatically transform how people, especially students, view the Bush administration and the current moment, as well as their responsibilities in the face of it.
The Bush program, together with the assault on critical thinking in academia, must be brought to a halt. It must not be allowed to become consolidated either in law or in public acceptance. Rather, it must be forcefully and publicly repudiated, all of which underscores the need for a movement aiming to force the Bush administration out of office, with universities acting as a catalyst — inspiring others to challenge conventional wisdom about what is possible and what is needed.
Volunteers and local organizers for this national teach-in movement should contact teachin@worldcantwait.org. Materials, including a speakers” bureau, videos of previous teach-ins and hearing before the Bush Crimes Commission, and other materials on how to organize a teach-in will be available at www.worldcantwait.org as they become available.
VIDEO SCREENING – TEACH-IN
As part of the “100 Teach-In” movement we are also recommending holding DVD screenings that can be introduced with a speech World Can’t Wait has prepared for the events in January, February and March. The films below are very powerful and can play a transformative role in how people understand the depth and scope of the Bush agenda. To set-up a public video screening and to have your event listed on the World Can’t Wait website please email all info to teachin@worldcantwait.org.
*The Bush Crimes Commission Hearings DVD
The testimony on this DVD stands as a compelling moral condemnation of this regime. We know that it is the most demented, lawless, contemptible of human life, and egregiously evil government in the history of the Republic — Here is proof. On this DVD you”ll see evidence and substance in the form of stunning testimony from eye-witnesses and experts on (1) Wars of Agression (2) Torture and Indefinite Detention (3) Destruction of the Global Environment (4) Response to Hurricane Katrina and (5)Attacks on Global AIDS programs as they explore whether or not the actions and policies of the Bush administration rise to level of War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity.
The 2-DVD set, features highlights of five days of Testimony, plus the introductory remarks of Harry Belafonte and Michael Ratner. The following hearings include compelling and visceral footage of the issues discussed.
[ Order the Video ] [ Watch the Video ] [ Watch the Video on You Tube ]
Please email teachin@worldcantwait.org with any questions regarding ordering the Bush Crimes Commission DVD, including overnight shipping orders.
* THE GROUND TRUTH
“This troubling and gripping chronicle of the men and women who served in the military is profoundly moving.” – USA Today
Hailed as “powerful” and “quietly unflinching,” Patricia Foulkrod’s searing documentary feature includes exclusive footage that will stir audiences. The terrible conflict in Iraq, depicted with ferocious honesty in the film, is a prelude for the even more challenging battles fought by the soldiers returning home – with personal demons, an uncomprehending public, and an indifferent government. As these battles take shape, each soldier becomes a new kind of hero, bearing witness and giving support to other veterans, and learning to fearlessly wield the most powerful weapon of all – the truth.
You can order your copy of ” The Ground Truth” at: http://www.thegroundtruth.net/
Potential Speakers for World Can’t Wait Teach-Ins
Each
of the listed speakers has agreed to be available for some events during the January 15th – March 15th period. The
exact timing will depend on their schedules.Jim Abourezk, former U.S. Senator ( S. Dakota) and founder of American Arab Anti Discrimination Committee
Alan Berkman, Columbia University School of Public Health
Larry Everest, author, “Oil, Power & Empire: Iraq and the U.S. Global Agenda”
Ted Glick, Climate Crisis Coalition ( on Global Warming )
Dahr Jamail, independent journalist who has covered war torn Iraq
Esther Kaplan, author of ” With God On Our Side”
Janis Karpinski, former commander Abu Ghraib prison
Ray McGovern, former CIA analyst
David Swanson, AfterDowningStreet.org
Ann Wright, former US diplomat and retired US Army Reserve Colonel who resigned to protest the war on Iraq
Daphne Wysham, Institute for Policy Studies, Sustainable Energy & Economy Network
How to Create a Presence in Your School and Organize a Great Teach-In
It’s only me and sometimes one friend.
Set up a literature table in the same place, every day. Display World Can’t Wait leaflets, stickers, buttons. If there are local progressive activities going on, you can put out some materials on that as well.
Eventually, some student/s will stop and talk to you. Invite them to sit with you at the table or to go to some event with you. When there are a couple of you, say three or four, you”ve got the beginnings of a chapter.
OK, now there are a few of us. What do we do?
Call yourself a chapter or a club or whatever is the “correct” terminology in your school – the title doesn’t really affect the content. Go to your Student Activities director and get officially recognized so you can benefit from whatever help is given to student organizations – i.e., office space, phone/computer use, ability to post notices/posters, use of university space, ability to apply for honoraria, etc.
You now want to bring in more people. You can:
*Have a meeting.
*Have a discussion group.
*Have a book group.
*Have a political education group.
*You can do one or a combination of the above.
Out of the attendees, form a working committee to get to work on your first major event: the fabulous fantastic Teach-In which will be an exciting first for your school!
You”ve got to move quickly on this. Number one: there’s not that much time until the end of March. Number two: people get more energized and do more when there’s exciting needed work to get done. So you have to involve people as soon as they”re interested.
All right. So how do we go about organizing for the Teach-In?
You need to get in touch with progressive faculty at your school. You probably know a lot of them already. In addition, we have lists at the National Office of professors and other university and high school teachers and other staff who have initiated contact already with World Can’t Wait, either as Call signers or donors. Get those names and contact info.
Call them or stop by their offices/rooms to speak to them personally. Tell them about the importance of the Teach-In for educating the school community about the dire nature of our situation – you can show them the DVD of the flagship NYC teach-in or the Bush Crimes Commission DVD set. Tell them you/we desperately need their help to jump start the student movement in the country/at that school. Ask them what they think they can do to help.
They may come up with the following list or more ideas. But, if not, here’s a bunch of things to suggest which you will need:
*Will this professor/teacher speak at the Teach-In?
*Can he/she suggest colleagues who will speak?
*Will he/she help you in securing space for the Teach-In?
*Can he/she help you with publicizing the Teach-In?
*Will he/she assign attendance at the Teach-in to his/her students?
*Can he/she organize colleagues to assign attendance at the Teach-In to their students?
*Will he/she help you secure honoraria from the institution to bring in outside speakers?
Now we”re almost cooking. What do we do next?
OK. Take some of the professor suggestions above and divide that up among your student Teach-In committee:
*Contacting faculty/staff members
*Deciding on a date and getting a large room reserved
*Publicity – get the buzz started right away through viral emails, posters, leaflets on your table, etc., etc.
*Apply for honoraria.
*Fund-raising events committee.
*Make up a list of names or types of outside speakers you”d like to attend your
*Teach-In and contact the National Office to start planning for this (pending your raising of money/honoraria).
*Program planning committee for the Teach-In – i.e., will it all be in one plenary session, will you have break-out workshops, will all the speakers have one position, will you be having a debate, will it only be speakers, will it include DVDs and/or film as well, etc., etc.
I’m very busy now. Anything else I need to do?
You”re doing great. Be sure to keep us up-to-date in the National Office so we have a sense of what’s going on nationally and so we can be there to support you as needed. Let us know of any questions or concerns that come up.
Now, you”re already something of an expert. Let’s talk and see what remains to be done before the upcoming day of the Teach-In.