Current Parade Information: Parade participants will be able to approach the staging area at Mississippi Pkwy near Central Lakes College from the South, West, or North via Hwy 371 to S. College Dr. and W. College Dr. There is a sign for College Drive on Hwy 371. Also, there is an exit for Hwy 48/Highland Scenic Drive South of the College Drive exit. This will also take you to College Drive and may be less congested. From the East, take Washington St. (Hwy 210) West to SW 4th St. and South 3 blocks to Laurel St. and turn right; this street eventually curves to the left and becomes Highland Scenic Dr./Hwy 48; take that to W. College Dr. Registration will be on the corner of Highland Scenic Drive/Hwy 48 and College Drive. Marchers will need the entry number of BACP's contingent in the parade (#53), as the street, parking lot and staging area will be closed to the public. Provide the BACP number (#53) at registration and follow instructions given to you there. You will be parking in the Central Lakes College parking lot (see map below for location of Central Lakes College - at the red star). The second map is a detail of the immediate staging and parade area. Please arrive at the staging area by 3:30 PM. Plan for traffic! The route is about 1.5 miles long and will take about an hour. Saturday, June 10, 2006 CHANGE IN LOCATION FOR THE PEACE VIGIL ON JUNE 10 The PEACE VIGIL held by the Brainerd Area Coalition for Peace on the 2nd Saturday of each month has been changed for Saturday, June 10th, from the usual Baxter location. It will be held near Camp Ripley (a major military training facility) which is celebrating its 75th birthday with a "fun-filled day" where kids can have their faces painted and get Hummer rides. Please join us to say No to militarism and the conditioning of future generations to accept and participate in war. Approximately 23 miles South of Brainerd take the exit to County Road 47 and MN Hwy 115. Our vigil will be near the tank that will be visible along 115 as you exit. Take a left at the tank and park along the frontage road. This is the old tank on the West side of 371, not the new one on the East side of 371 a little farther South. We will vigil from 2 PM till 4 PM. The following is Camp Ripley's promotion for the day: 75th anniversary celebration of Camp Ripley planned for Saturday, June 10 An all-day long celebration of 75 years of Camp Ripley is planned from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 10, at the military facility located seven miles North of Little Falls and 25 miles South of Brainerd on Highway 371. The entire fun-filled day will be free except the 5K and 10K races. Activities will include: • United States Army Special Operations Command Parachute Team • 5K/10K run • Military Museum: museum displays, military equipment displays, gift shop • Hummer rides, face painting, balloons, rock climbing wall, fastpitch game, HUMVEE display • Military aircraft flying overhead, crash-rescue display • Ribbon cutting ceremony with Minnesota dignitaries • 34th Infantry Division -- Rhythm Majors Rock Combo • Native American “Social Dance” • Scheduled stories for the children and adults from uniformed soldiers from past and present • Food booths Camp Ripley is a modernized, state-of-the art training facility. Camp Ripley trains units from all active and reserve components of the military. Camp Ripley conducts an extensive Winter Warfare Course for units and is designated the Primary Winter Training Site in the United States. Saturday, March 18, 2006 THREE YEARS OF WAR IN IRAQ The BACP monthly Peace Vigil scheduled for Saturday, March 11, has been cancelled to encourage turnout for the following event: SAY NO! TO THREE YEARS OF CRIMINAL WAR IN IRAQ! SATURDAY, MARCH 18th, 2-4 PM INTERSECTION OF 210 & 371 IN BAXTER SOME REASONS TO JOIN THE BRAINERD AREA COALITION FOR PEACE (BACP) PROTEST: Perhaps 150,000 Iraqi dead, including thousands of children! 2300 American military dead, 17,000 wounded! 60,000 veterans treated for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)! Many will never live normal lives again. Torture! Lies and more lies! $250,000,000,000 spent on death and destruction! People around the country and the world will be demanding an end to 3 years of bloody, unprovoked war and occupation! JOIN US! Thursday, Dec. 22nd, 2005, from 3-5 p.m. THIRD ANNUAL CAROLING FOR PEACE Brainerd Post Office (Laurel Street) We had about a dozen carolers and two peace flags and the BACP banner!! THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17th, 2005, 3-5 PM NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION! PROTEST AT THE MILITARY RECRUITMENT OFFICE 702 W. Washington St., Brainerd (approximately 4 blocks west of Walgreens) The unjust war on Iraq has resulted in the military’s need for more soldiers. The provisions of the NCLB Act allow for more aggressive recruiting in our schools and are enabling military recruiters as they attempt to meet their monthly and yearly goals. Many of the young people recruited this year could wind up in war zones months after graduating from high school. The NCLB Act and the increased proliferation of the JROTC combined with the public relations needs for an unjust war in Iraq has resulted in a huge increase in military presence within our nation's schools. As each day goes by and opposition grows greater for this war and other attacks on democracy, more forceful tactics and outright lies will be used to recruit the hearts, minds and bodies of our youth. It is time to say no to this harvesting of human beings. SPONSORED BY CLC PEOPLE UNITING FOR PEACE (PUP) AND BRAINERD AREA COALITION FOR PEACE (BACP) September 24, 2005 MARCH ON WASHINGTON ST. In conjunction with the historic Peace March on Washington D.C., a group of about thirty BACP demonstrators marched on Washington St. in Brainerd to protest the war in Iraq. Several BACP members traveled by bus to Washington D.C. to join the protest there. CENTRAL MINNESOTA PEACE BUS Enthusiasm is growing among Central Minnesotans who will board a chartered bus in Brainerd and St. Cloud on Friday morning, September 23rd to travel to the historic Peace March on Washington, DC on Saturday, September 24th. The bus returns on Sunday, Sept. 25th. We will rally at the Ellipse near the White House at noon, march through downtown Washington, then rally with Cindy Sheehan for a concert at the Washington Monument. This will be a massive, exciting and important anti-war event. Consider joining us on the bus! Bus capacity is 41 passengers. We have 23 confirmed reservations with 18 seats presently available with 11 days to go. Confirmed Peace Riders include 14 from the Brainerd area, 7 from Collegeville and 2 from St. Cloud. Some others are seriously considering the trip, and we hope there will be more confirmations soon. Help us fill the bus! We welcome participants from throughout the region. The bus will stop in Little Falls if there are passengers in that area. Cost of the trip is $125. We plan to keep student fare at $100 through donations. Our hope is to leave no one behind for lack of ability to pay. Let us know if you want to be part of this trip but have trouble paying the cost. If you can't make the trip, please consider sponsoring a passenger or making a donation to help defray student costs. Preferred method of payment is by check payable to Northwoods Peace Initiative, the group which has contracted the bus for us. Memo the check "bus payment" to pay for a seat. If you wish to sponsor a passenger or make a smaller donation, memo "bus donation". If you wish to sponsor or donate for a specific person, note the name and the funds will be used accordingly, otherwise distributed on a needs basis. Send to the address below. An online payment option is also available here if necessary. Instructions will be provided on request. Contact info: Collegeville: Megan Kuhl 563-663-2739 or 320-363-5178 St. Cloud: Sara Williams 803-237-3322 St. Cloud State: Courtney Warns 320-230-6568 Brainerd area and to send payments: Larry Fisk 320-745-2243 23597 165th Ave. Fort Ripley MN 56449 If you are unable to take the bus to Washington, consider taking part in Brainerd's "March on Washington St." sponsored by the Brainerd Area Coalition for Peace (BACP) starting at 2:00 on Sept. 24th at the fountain in Gregory Park with a live telephone report from bus riders in DC. St. Cloud has the noon vigil at Barnes and Noble which can be augmented for this special day. Attempt to interest the press in local/national connection between central Minnesota events, the bus and the massive gathering in the nation's Capital. Your assistance on any level is much appreciated! Be part of it! August 2-7, 2005 2005 Crow Wing County Fair For the 3rd year, from August 2nd to 7th, the Brainerd Area Coalition for Peace participated in the Crow Wing County Fair. We had a great response from the public! BACP members and supporters distributed lots of literature, opt-out forms for high school students (to request that their personal contact infomation NOT be given to military recruiter), many hundreds of peace buttons, hundreds of origami "Peace Cranes", scores of peace sign necklaces (3 kinds), bumper stickers, 3 dozen copies of the 77 page book "Addicted to War: Why the US can't Kick Militarism", mostly to students. A number of students expressed interest in forming a peace group at Brainerd High School. Students from Crosby, Pine River, Staples, Sauk Rapids and other schools also stopped by and took anti-recruitment materials. A number of parents and other family members with loved-ones back from, in, or going to Iraq stopped and took peace buttons, necklaces and literature, including info on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Some said they have already experienced or seen signs of PTSD from family members who are back from Iraq and/or Afghanistan. We had great conversations with people who saw BACP in the 4th of July Parade, some saying they would like to march with us next year. We had parade pictures at the booth. (If you didn't join our impressive contingent this year, PLEASE plan to be with us next year. You will have a great time speaking out for peace in the parade and socializing at the pot-luck afterwards!) Many folks thanked us for being at the fair and for our work for peace. Seriously hostile remarks were extremely rare. Many thanks to all who set up, staffed and took down the booth, supplied materials, folded cranes, etc. Thanks to everyone who stopped by. See you next year! July 4, 2005 2005 BRAINERD 4TH OF JULY PARADE More than 100 folks turned out to march in the BACP contingent in Brainerd's annual Fourth of July Parade. This was the largest entry in the parade and shows real support for the growing peace movement. Thank you all! BACP TO MARCH IN 2005 BRAINERD 4TH OF JULY PARADE! PLEASE MARCH WITH US IN BRAINERD ON JULY 4th AS WE SPEAK OUT FOR PEACE! We hope that you will help us make this a successful event by bringing your family and friends to join us in the parade! We need you to stand with us! The themes we will present are: A majority of Americans no longer support the war in Iraq; The Iraqi people want us out of their country; We support the troops by demanding that they be brought home IMMEDIATELY, ending the criminal U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq; War and violence are causes, not answers, to the world's problems; Dissent is patriotic and democratic. We will provide signs, banners and flags consistent with our message. The parade begins at 4:00 PM. If you plan on coming, let us know if you can (letters@brainerdpeace.org); it will help us plan our contingent. If you are unable to tell us in advance (last minute decision, schedule changes, etc.), please come anyway! Current Parade Information: Parade participants will be able to approach the staging area at Mississippi Pkwy near Central Lakes College from the South, West, or North via Hwy 371 to S. College Dr. and W. College Dr. There is a sign for College Drive on Hwy 371. Also, there is an exit for Hwy 48/Highland Scenic Drive South of the College Drive exit. This will also take you to College Drive and may be less congested. From the East, take Washington St. (Hwy 210) West to SW 4th St. and South 3 blocks to Laurel St. and turn right; this street eventually curves to the left and becomes Highland Scenic Dr./Hwy 48; take that to W. College Dr. Registration will be on the corner of Highland Scenic Drive/Hwy 48 and College Drive. Marchers will need the entry number of BACP's contingent in the parade (# 45), as the street, parking lot and staging area will be closed to the public. Provide the BACP number (# 45) at registration and follow instructions given to you there. You will be parking in the Central Lakes College parking lot (see map below for location of Central Lakes College - at the red star). The second map is a detail of the immediate staging and parade area. Please arrive at the staging area by 3:30 PM. Plan for traffic! The route is about 1.5 miles long and will take about an hour. Don has invited us to his place after the parade. Bring lawn chairs, food, drinks. He has a fire pit too for the evening when the mosquitos go crazy! Don is at 419 SW 5th St., Brainerd. March 19, 2005 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE ACTION! CENTRAL MINNESOTA SAYS NO TO WAR! SATURDAY, MARCH 19th, 2005, 1-3 PM CAMP RIPLEY, JUNCTION at MN HWYS 371 & 115 Thanks to the more than 75 peace-loving folks who came to Camp Ripley March 19, 2005, to join the worldwide call to end the occupation of Iraq on the second anniverary of the war! Your support for the Little Falls Partners for Peace and Brainerd Area Coalition for Peace action greatly exceeded expectations. You looked good! Rally at Camp Ripley. The "Welcome Back" sign is the Camp's message to returning soldiers. 2ND ANNIVERSARY OF THE INVASION OF IRAQ, BACP-LFPP SOLIDARITY ACTION! "CUT WAR FUNDING, NOT V.A. FUNDING! GUARD THE NATION, NOT FOREIGN OCCUPATION!" "SUPPORT THE TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME NOW!" Locally the Brainerd Area Coalition for Peace (BACP) and Little Falls Partners for Peace (LFPP) will rally near Camp Ripley, the major military installation in central Minnesota from 1-3 PM (MN Hwys 371 & 115, 6 miles N. of Little Falls, look for the tank). We will march to the Camp gates at 1:30. The Camp commander has been informed and recognizes our right to be there. All peace-loving people are invited to gather in solidarity on this important day for the international peace movement! Park along County Road 47, East off 371 just South of the tank. Please spread the word! Major demonstrations in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Fayetteville, San Diego, around the country and the world! Anti-war actions planned in Britain, Greece, Italy, France, Iceland, Germany, Denmark and other European cities, as well as in Brazil, Korea, Japan, South Africa, Bangladesh, Australia and other countries. December 3, 2004 Spaghetti Dinner/Dave Lippman Billboard Fundraising Event Approximately 75 people attended and enjoyed the BACP Spaghetti Dinner/Dave Lippman billboard fundraising event at the Senior Center in Brainerd on Friday evening. Dave Lippman as George Shrub was hilarious and the serious political activist Dave Lippman put on a powerful and beautiful slide show/musical presentation focusing on the Palestinian people. Our thanks to this dedicated cultural worker for a wonderful show! And thanks to Mike Miles of Northwoods Peace Initiative in Wisconsin who has been working with Dave on this tour. Thanks to all who helped make this happen and to those who attended. We plan to have Dave back, hopefully to perform in Little Falls as well. With the success of this event, BACP's share of ticket sales and the contributions designated for the billboard, BACP has raised about $550 of the $955 needed to fund the board. Thank you! September 17, 2004 Candlelight Commemoration of 1000+ US Troops Killed in Iraq Reading of Names of the Dead and Candlight March Friday, September 17, 7:30 PM Gather at the Fountain in Gregory Park, 6th Street North and Juniper Street, Brainerd We will have a luminaria peace sign near the fountain. The names of US military victims of the invasion and occupation of Iraq will be read, beginning at 7:30. Candlelight march will start at 8:00 PM. Reading of names will continue during the procession. A facsimile casket draped with an American flag will be carried. When we return to the park, the reading of names will continue until all of the known US troops killed have been recognized. Bring your own candle or use those which BACP will supply. PROGRESSIVES' PICNIC Aug. 15, 2 p.m.-?, Lum Park in Brainerd, Pavilion #2 Bring something to grill & a dish to share Iced tea, water & eating utensils will be provided MUSIC SPEAKERS COMEDY LEFT OPEN MIC VOLLEYBALL FRISBIE GOLF KIDS' ACTIVITIES (including jewelry-making) GREAT FOOD PROGRESSIVE PEOPLE NOTE: Alcohol is NOT allowed in the park! Crow Wing County Fair - Aug. 3-8, 2004 Come visit us at our booth at the Crow Wing County Fair. BACP members will be available to talk about peace-related issues and hand out information. The BACP booth at the fair was very successful! We distributed over 750 copies of the IRAQ WAR QUIZ, hundreds of pieces of other literature, 500 peace buttons, hundreds of peace necklaces and over 50 copies of the 70 page comic format book about US militarism, ADDICTED TO WAR, mostly to Middle School, High School and College students. We talked with hundreds of people, including many who have been to Iraq, are going, or have sons, daughters, siblings or other relatives or friends in Iraq. Overwhelmingly, these folks wanted the troops brought home now! One couple said their son is being deployed to Iraq for a third time! Another said they just talked to their son who had recently been in Najaf. They said he sounded depressed and that morale in his unit is terrible. Of course, there were exceptions to our generally positive reception, but there has been a major change in attitudes since last year's fair. At least two young people who were planning on enlisting are rethinking their decision after talking with us, reading our literature and watching the video list of soldiers killed in Iraq. We had many people thank us for our efforts, saying they cheered for us during the parade, etc. 85 signed up on our contact list. It was great! PEACE! July 21st , 2004 The League of Minnesota Cities in partnership with the Rosenmeier Center for State & Local Government will present a public symposium: THE RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH IN THE 21ST CENTURY UNDER THE UNITED STATES AND MINNESOTA CONSTITUTION. Wed., July 21st , 2004 Chalburg Theater, Central Lakes College, 501 West College Drive, Brainerd, MN. The theatre holds up to 286 people. 5:30 Reception ~ 6-8:30 Symposium Registration is NOT required. City Officials and the public are invited to attend this free event. DIRECTIONS: North on HWY 371 (do not take the Brainerd business exit; stay on the 371 bypass). Turn right (East) on County Road 48 (the first road after the Mississippi Bridge) to W. College Drive and turn East or, from the North, take College Drive directly off Hwy 371. Here is a map of Brainerd/Baxter area. The red star on the map marks Central Lakes College. The symposium is a part of a settlement agreement between Brainerd Community Action, the City of Brainerd and the Brainerd Area Coalition for Peace, which was barred from marching in the City's 2003 Fourth of July parade. TIME SPEAKER SUBJECT 5:30 - 6 n/a Social hour. Pass out question cards. 6pm - 6:05 Tom Grundhoefer, General Counsel, League of Minnesota Cities General Counsel Welcome everyone on behalf of the League and introduce Justice Simonett 6:05 - 6:10 Retired Justice John Simonett Talk about practicing in Little Falls and Justice Rosenmeier and introduce Sam Hanson    6:10 - 6:15 Justice Sam Hanson of the Minnesota Supreme Court 651-297-7676. Fax 651-268-1719. sam.hanson@courts.state.mn.us. Introduce speakers.  Will explain that the audience may present questions or comments via question cards or orally.  If individuals have oral comments or questions, they are limited to one minute in order to permit broad participation.  Will also explain that questions will be permitted at the end of each segment, if we are on schedule, and for 30 minutes at the end of the program.      6:15 Professor Marie Failinger, Hamline University School of Law.  1536 Hewitt Avenue St. Paul, MN 55104-1236. 651-523-2124; mfailinger@gw.hamline.edu. Fax (651) 523-2236 Will orient the audience with basic information about the topic and then discuss how the Supreme Court has handled public dissent in wartime and in crowd situations, and why a robust free speech regime in those circumstances is important.  If we are on schedule, can ask the speaker some audience questions at the end of his or her segment.     6:45 Desyl Peterson, City Attorney for Minnetonka, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345, 952-939-8266. Fax: 952-939-8248.  dpeterson@eminnetonka.com Will discuss when a city may deny access to city property (parks, streets, sidewalks, buildings) or deny participation in city forums (council meetings, bulletin boards, web sites).  If we are on schedule, can ask the speaker some audience questions at the end of his or her segment.    7:15 Professor Dale Carpenter, U of M Law School, 612-625-5537, dalecarp@umn.edu, fax 612-625-2011 Will discuss the anti-paternalism principle.   If we are on schedule, can ask the speaker some audience questions at the end of his or her segment.     7:45 Bryan Brown, City Attorney for Duluth. (218) 730-5490. bbrown@ci.duluth.mn.us Will discuss establishment clause issues - religious symbols in government setting.   If we are on schedule, can ask the speaker some audience questions at the end of his or her segment.        8:15-8: 45  Justice Hanson Will permit remaining audience questions during question and answer session for 30 minutes.    July 4, 2004 "THEY'RE PLAYING BUCKETS!!" PEACE MARCHERS ARE LARGEST PARADE ENTRY! ...veterans for peace, remembering the war dead, the signs, the flags, the crowd of marchers of various ages, colors and demeanors, and, to top it off, "THEY'RE PLAYING BUCKETS!!". All of this was BACP in the Brainerd 2004 4th of July Parade. After we were barred from participating in last year's parade and after a negotiated settlement with the City of Brainerd and Brainerd Community Action, BACP carried a message of peace to parade-goers this year, some perhaps taken aback by it all, but perhaps inspired to think about it today, or tomorrow. The Brainerd Area Coalition for Peace wishes to thank all those who joined with BACP to make a powerful statement for peace in the Brainerd 4th of July parade, some traveling long distances to show support! We started with over a hundred, and with latecomers and those who spontaneously left the crowd to march with us, we estimate that over 125 participated. Our spirits were high and our message strong. The contingent began with Army Veteran Hal Kimball in dress uniform carrying an American flag. He was followed by three peace flags, the BACP banner and the Little Falls Partners for Peace banner.Then came the pickup with "Support the Troops, Bring Them Home" signs pulling the float, which consisted of a large "WAGE PEACE" sign, signs with totals of Iraqi civilian and US military dead in Iraq and floral arrangements. The float was followed by scores of enthusiastic peace-loving citizens carrying a variety of colorful signs. Then came a dozen adult and children drummers with improvised, but effective, plastic bucket drums. The drumming paused periodically for chants of "BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW!" and "WAGE PEACE, NOT WAR!" At the rear of our procession was another row of peace flags. It was splendid! (more photos) BACP TO MARCH IN 2004 BRAINERD 4TH OF JULY PARADE! As you may know, the Brainerd Area Coalition for Peace (BACP) was barred from participating in last year's July 4th parade in Brainerd. We were told that the 2003 parade was a "celebration of the military" and the city claimed to be unable to guarantee the safety of peace marchers! After obtaining legal representation from the Minnesota Civil Liberties Union and months of effort, BACP reached a negotiated settlement with the City of Brainerd and Brainerd Community Action which acknowledges the right of citizens to enter the parade regardless of the content of their speech, a victory not just for our membership and supporters, but for the free-speech rights of all citizens (also see the joint news release). PLEASE MARCH WITH US IN BRAINERD ON JULY 4th AS WE SPEAK OUT FOR PEACE! The barring of BACP from last year's parade and subsequent BACP/MCLU actions in support of free-speech rights got considerable media attention. We believe that participation in this year's parade will be newsworthy and that a good turnout could make this a powerful statement against war. We hope that you will help us make this a successful event by bringing your family and friends to join us in the parade! We have spoken out for you, now we need you to stand with us! The themes we will present are: We support the troops by demanding that they be brought home IMMEDIATELY, ending the criminal U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq; War and violence are causes, not answers, to the world's problems; Dissent is patriotic and democratic. (See the article in the Brainerd Daily Dispatch concerning BACP's participation in the parade this year.) BACP has decided to avoid being overtly political in the parade and to refrain from directly attacking the Bush administration or endorsing candidates. We will provide the signs, banners and flags consistent with our message. The parade begins at 5:00 PM. We will be sending subsequent messages with more detail about BACP's parade plans, time and place to gather, parade route, etc. If you plan on coming, let us know if you can (letters@brainerdpeace.org); it will help us plan our contingent. If you are unable to tell us in advance (last minute decision, schedule changes, etc.), please come anyway! Current Parade Information: Parade participants will be able to approach the staging area at Mississippi Pkwy near Central Lakes College from the South, West, or North via Hwy 371 to S. College Dr. and W. College Dr. There is a sign for College Drive on Hwy 371. Also, there is an exit for Hwy 48/Highland Scenic Drive South of the College Drive exit. This will also take you to College Drive and may be less congested. From the East, take Washington St. (Hwy 210) West to SW 4th St. and South 3 blocks to Laurel St. and turn right; this street eventually curves to the left and becomes Highland Scenic Dr./Hwy 48; take that to W. College Dr. Registration will be on the corner of Highland Scenic Drive/Hwy 48 and College Drive. Marchers will need the entry number of BACP's contingent in the parade, which is #65, as the street, parking lot and staging area will be closed to the public. Provide the BACP number (#65) at registration and follow instructions given to you there. You will be parking in the Central Lakes College parking lot (see map below for location of Central Lakes College - at the red star). The second map is a detail of the immediate staging and parade area. Please arrive at the staging area by 4:30 PM. Plan for traffic! The route is about 1.5 miles long and will take about an hour. April 5, 2004 - Mediated Settlement of Denial of BACP's Application to March in the 2003 Brainerd Fourth of July Parade On April 5, 2004, the Brainerd City Council accepted a proposed settlement agreement between the City, Brainerd Community Action (BCA) and the Brainerd Area Coalition for Peace (BACP). The mediated settlement agreement and joint news release is in response to the denial of BACP's application to march in the 2003 Brainerd Fourth of July Parade. Thanks to all of you who helped with the settlement to preserve our right to free speech. March 20, 2004 - WORLDWIDE DAY OF PROTEST BACP will join peace-loving people around the globe on the worldwide day of protest, March 20th, 2004, to mark the anniversary of the illegal, unprovoked U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq, which has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Iraqis and 515 American soldiers. Please plan on joining us in solidarity on this important day. Join millions of people around the world protesting the unprovoked war and one year of occupation that: has cost tens of thousands of lives and destroyed families created chaos in Iraq and destabilized the Middle East defied International Law and fostered anti-American sentiment wasted over $100 Billion, with no end in sight contaminated Iraq, indefinitely, with tons of depleted uranium The plans for March 20th are: 1:00 Gather at the Veterans Memorial by the Brainerd Post Office on Laurel Street between 4th and 5th Streets, where names of Iraqi and American war dead will be read. 1:30 March and Demonstration along Washington Street. END THE OCCUPATION OF IRAQ! BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW 3:00 Gather at the Brainerd Senior Citizens' Center at 803 Kingwood (1 block north of Washington) for speakers, snacks and music. There will be a short sing-a-long followed by a BACP statement and the following speakers: Pastor Deb Celley of UCC Church on the "Just War Theory" Hal Kimball, Veterans for Peace Father Seamus Walsh The day's activities will conclude with Musicians for Peace, followed by an informal session open to all. Snacks and beverages provided by the BACP Thursday, February 12, 2004: BACP will sponsor a "Peace in the Precincts" presentation by Phil Steger of Friends for a Non-Violent World with music and rope tricks by Pop Wagner on Thursday, February 12th, at 7pm at the First United Congregationalist Church, 415 Juniper (SW corner of Gregory Park), in Brainerd. Peace in the Precincts is a program to promote a peace-oriented platform at Minnesota political caucuses on March 2nd and on into the electoral process. The event will be hosted by the Brainerd Area Coalition for Peace and co-sponsored by the Little Falls Partners for Peace. The program runs about 1 hour and 15 minutes with discussion to follow. Visit www.peaceintheprecincts.org to learn about this project. We hope to see you all there. PEACE! Saturday, July 19, 2003: Is the war over? Bush declared it over some time ago but we have our doubts. The vigil continues. Today we will have watermelon for all our loyal standers. Wednesday, July 16, 2003: Kristen Blann and Ed Shaw will discuss the Fourth of July Parade situation on KAXE at 8:10 in the morning. Wednesday, July 16, 2003: BACP video and discussion --Beyond Vietnam: Lessons Unlearned, 7PM Brainerd Public Library Mar 31, 2003: The Brainerd Area Coalition for Peace Video Series presents the award-winning Afghan Massacre? Convoy of Death, a documentary by Irish filmmaker Jamie Doran exploring war crimes committed during the war in Afghanistan by America's Northern Alliance allies and US forces. 7 PM, Monday, March 31 at the Brainerd Public Library. A Coalition meeting will precede the video at 6 PM. March 3, 2003: Contributions have been adequate to put up a second billboard on Business 371 in Baxter. This one has slightly larger lettering for "War is Not the Answer". Also it includes the address of this website. If and when an attack on Iraq by American forces begins, the current response is a vigil the day of the attacks (or the following day if the attacks are at night) at 5 p.m. at the intersection of highways 210 and 371, in Baxter, MN.  February 15, 2003, has been declared by the European peace movement as a day of major antiwar actions, and American organizations are starting to organize around this date as well. You may be certain that BACP will be scheduling activities for that day. Return here soon for details. We are in concert with the national and international movement for events during the period of Feb 13 -21, 2003. BACP EVENTS Feb 13, 2003 (noon?) -- Meeting with Dayton aide at Brainerd City Hall Feb 15, 2003, mock funeral procession with 4 caskets (War will bury the Children of Iraq along with the Truth, International Law and Hope for the Future) at 1:30 PM starting from the south end of the Brainerd Public Library parking lot returning to the library to hear Hal Kimball speak at 3:00 on depleted uranium and the Gulf War. Feb. 20, 2003, Thursday -- BACP initiated debate on war with Iraq sponsored by the League of Women Voters (and the Dispatch?). Show up at 6:15 if you can help with chairs and stuff and to get a good seat. Questions from the audience will be submitted on index cards (5x7, I think) If you come with a good question pre-written, you'll be all ready. 7pm at the cafeteria of Central Lakes College. All events are still in the planning stages and more details will be forthcoming. Please let Larry (fisksen@brainerd.net) know if you can help with phone calling and leafletting for the 15th, and/or would like to be part of the delegation meeting with Dayton's aide at at Brainerd City Hall, etc. February 20, 2003, 7:00 pm: Please join the Brainerd Area Coalition for Peace at the Brainerd Public Library for the next film in our series, Paying the Price by British journalist John Pilger, documenting the human cost of the UN sanctions and US/British bombing of Iraq. Stay tuned; this one may be rescheduled. February 3, 2003: Watch this space for the minutes of the regular business meeting of BACP. They will appear when I get them typed up, hopefully in the next couple of days January 31, 2003: A spaghetti dinner fundraiser for Afghanistan reconstruction efforts was held at 6:00 pm, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 418 8th Ave NE. The event was very successful, raising more than $700 for Afghan relief. The speaker, Barry Rieseh from Veteran's for Peace made us even more aware of how extensive the damage was to the Iraqi infrastructure during the gulf war, (I don't want to call it the 1st gulf war, that would imply a 2nd). He reported, with slides, on the efforts of Veterans for Peace to successfully restore a water treatment plant. Week of January 27, 2003: Our billboard went up at the intersection of E. Washington and 13th St SE. Looks good! January 18, 2003: an international rally for peace was held in major cities around the world. Washington, D.C. saw busses from across the country, (including 25 individuals from the Brainerd area), coming to show opposition to the increasing war efforts of the US government. The turn-out on October 26, 2002, declared 'International Day of Action', was approximately 150,000 - 200,000 in Washington, D.C. This Jan 18 action was substantially larger, reflecting the growing opposition in this country to the policies of the Bush administration. In contrast to reports in the media of "tens of thousands" of participants, a more realistic estimate is in the 100's of thousands, perhaps as much as 500,000. San Francisco saw around 200,000. These demonstrations were organized by ANSWER. www.internationalanswer.org/ In Brainerd, close to a hundred people joined BACP members in a show of support for peace efforts on January 18. We met at Gregory Park and marched west across a very cold and windy Washington Avenue bridge, and back to the War Memorial near the courthouse and thence to the UCC church fellowship hall for speeches, refreshments and music. November 18 - 19, 2002:  Guest speakers Meg Novak and Kristin (Flo) Razowski presented personal accounts on their recent visits to Iraq and Palestine. Meg represents Babylon Art and Cultural Center in Minneapolis, MN, (opening February, 2003) and is currently involved with setting up a national tour of art works for the summer of 2003. Contact information can be found at: www.heatercore.net/Babylon.  October 26, 2002:  In international action to show support against military action by USA in Iraq, BACP held a march along Washington Avenue in Brainerd, MN. Open speeches were held at Gregory Park, and the turn-out for our small community was fairly impressive - approximately 80 people chose to participate.