Leadingup to, during, and after Bush’s State of the Union address, the growing
movement to drive out the Bush regime took new steps in its
determination and breadth. In an intense political situation,
with Bush’s spying and lying more exposed and much talk of impeachment,
the demand “BUSH STEP DOWN and take your program with you” resonated
throughout society. Acting on its Call,
The World Can’t Wait – Drive Out the Bush Regime dove into this
situation in which the future is in the balance, mobilize people
outside of the killing confines of “politics as usual” to stop Bush’s
fascist remaking of society.
including politicians, movie stars, artists, activists and voices of
conscience broadcast this demand to the world. Echoing and
elaborating on this demand were statements from prominent voices such
as Daniel Ellsberg, Michael, Ratner, Mark Ruffalo, and Gore Vidal, as
well as calls to action from students at Hampton University and
Georgetown Law Students who turned their back on Attorney General
Gonzales. And Jan. 31st saw thousands of people in over 68 cities taking to the streets to drown out Bush’s lies during his State of the Union address.
held its final session, and released preliminary findings of the Bush
regime’s guilt of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Inthe wake of all this, Feb. 4th’s rally of several thousand in
Washington DC and march around the White House took the demand that
BUSH STEP DOWN right to the regime itself. It was marked by its
determination and breadth of participants, all united around this
single demand. And it garnered media coverage in the Washington Post, evening and morning TV news, and more. Click here to check out beginning reports from the Feb. 4th protest including video, audio, pictures, and news coverage.
course of this Bush regime must be STOPPED…We must, and can, aim to
create a political situationwhere the Bush regime’s program is
repudiated, where Bush himself is driven from office, and where the
whole direction he has been taking society is reversed. We, in our
millions, must and can take responsibility to change the course of
history. The future is unwritten. WHICH ONE WE GET IS UP TO US.” –from the Call to Drive Out the Bush Regime
[click here for reports from the Feb. 4th protest]
Speakers included: Missy Comley Beattie of Gold Star Families for Peace read a statement from Cindy Sheehan; Elaine Brower; Kathleen Chalfant (read statement from Daniel Ellsberg); Carl Dix, National Spokesperson of the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA; Carol Fisher,
World Can’t Wait supporter in Cleveland who was beaten and arrested by
police for posting fliers for the state of emergency protests; Lawrence Guyot, former SNCC member and former Chairman of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party; Doris “Granny D” Haddock; Hampton University Student; C. Clark Kissinger, Bush Crimes Commission; Rev. Deborah Elandus Lake, World Can’t Wait steering committee; Lelani, International Action Center; Joe Madison the Black Eagle; Occidental College Students Ally & Leah; Rebecca Schaefer, Georgetown Law School Student with Stand Up for the Law; David Swanson, After Downing Street; Sunsara Taylor; Juan Torres, GSFP; Tupayec; Ann Wright, Veterans for Peace; Daphne Wysham, Institute for Policy Studies; Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Hip-Hop Caucus.
Click here to watch/hear/read some of their speeches.
Statement by Daniel Ellsberg in support of the World Can’t Wait demonstration in Washington, D.C. Saturday, February 4, 2006:
“I would not have thought of copying the Pentagon
Papers, risking a possible lifetime in prison, without the example of
thousands of young Americans who were doing everything they
could(including non-violent disobedience to the draft regulations(to
oppose a wrongful, hopeless war. They showed civic
courage, and I can attest to its effectiveness; as a government
consultant and former official, I felt its power on my own life.” [more]
Actor Mark Ruffalo urges you to get on the bus this Saturday! [click here to listen]
“There
are millions of us out there who are frustrated and angry. Not only in
small pockets, but all around the United States crossing into many
different kinds of people, spanning oceans and continents. We are the
growing majority. Ultimately, we are not alone. If you come out, you
will see that others will greet and support you and enfold you into
something that is greater than your fear of what we are being led to
believe America is about. It’s time to get on the bus this Saturday, February 4th. It’s time to demand that Bush step down.” [MORE]
Tomorrow is Today: the Time for Resistance is Now
Speech by Michael Ratner of the Center for Constitutional Rights at the Bush Crimes Commission [read]
Changing History is NOT a Spectator Sport, from Sunsara Taylor [listen]
From the Georgetown Law Students who turned their back on Attorney General Gonzales:
If you agree with us that the Bush Administration is criminal, join
your fellow citizens on the 4th to declare that the World Can’t
Wait. [more]
In demonstrations in 68 cities across
the country January 31st, people answered President Bush’s State
of the Union address with a sharp message: the State of Union is a
State of Emergency. Get the latest reports as they come in, and send yours to reports@worldcantwait.org.
Check out video clips
of speeches at the New York City rally, including Imam Talib
Abdur-Rashid, Rabbi Michael Feinberg, Congressional Candidate Chris
Owens
Video now available from the Jan. 31st Rally in Washington DC [watch]
Cindy Sheehan was arrested Tuesday
while trying to attend the state of the union address (with a ticket
she was given by a member of Congress). Her “crime”: wearing a T-shirt
that read “2245 Dead. How many more?”. [more]
The International Commission of Inquiry on Crimes Against Humanity Committed by the Bush Administration
released its preliminary findings Thursday, Feb. 2, at the National
Press Club in Washington DC. The Commission indicted the
Bush regime on 5 counts:
1) Wars of Aggression,
2) Torture and Indefinite Detention,
3) Destruction of the Global Environment,
4) Attacks on Global Public Health & Reproductive Rights; and
5) Knowing Failure to Protect Life During Hurricane Katrina.
DONATE NOW!
[click here]
The protests on Jan. 31st & Feb. 4 show that a
movement to drive out the Bush regime is coming together, involving a
broad array of people – from ministers to movie stars to the parents of
soldiers who died in Iraq; from writers to congresspeople to
scientists; from lawyers to activists to students to those who’ve quit
this regime in disgust; to thousands and thousands of “ordinary people.”
But this movement urgently needs the funds to connect with millions
more who want a vehicle to change the direction of society, with more
ads in newspapers and radio. And it needs the funds to sustain offices
in NYC and Washington DC, and to pay off debt incured from this weeks
state of emergency protests.
To make this happen, we need donations large and small – but especially large – immediately! And before writing your check, consider this: Your government is openly torturing people, and justifying it. How much is it worth to you to change the whole direction of society?
Statement from Hampton University Students on the state of emergency protests:
“We cannot dally and dawdle around this problem; we must address and
confront this problem. Let me repeat that again: We cannot dally and
dawdle around this problem; we must address and confront this
problem. We can no longer talk, complain, and cry about what Bush is
doing, we must now do something ourselves. We are being gradually
shifted into a fascist, Nazi-like police state, a nation that sends our
sons, brothers, and sisters to die for outright lies. Now is the time
for action. (more)
Gore Vidal, “President Jonah”:
One way that a majority of citizens can help open the road back to
Crawford is by heeding the call of a group called the World Can’t Wait
(see their website, worldcantwait.org).
They believe that the agenda for 2006 must not be set by the Bush gang
but by the people taking independent mass political action. [more]
Ed Begley, Jr.: As the World Can’t
Wait Call states: “your government suppress science that doesn’t fit
its religious, political and economic agenda, forcing present and
future generations to pay a terrible price.” and I urge everyone to
participate in the nationwide protests when Bush makes his State of the
Union Message – to drown out his lies and demand Bush Step Down and
Take Your Program With You – on Jan. 31 and in Washington DC on
February 4th.
Message to Students, from Howard Zinn (1/27):
My
hope is that students will join the actions taking place around the
State of the Union, to demonstrate that the state of the union is
perilous with this administration in charge, and the Bush cabal which
has taken power must be compelled to step down. (more)