Peace Action Runs DC Metro Ads Challenging Bush's Policy of Open-Ended War

11 June 2002

Peace Action, the nation's largest disarmament organization, in conjunction with its largest state affiliate, California Peace Action (CAPA), launched a Metro ad campaign in Washington, DC aimed at challenging the Bush administration s policy of "war without end" and the targeting of nations for preemptive attack.

The ad features the image from the I want you for US Army Uncle Sam recruiting poster from WW I. However this poster's text reads: Members of Congress: I Want You To Promote a Foreign Policy Built on Democratic Values. It then lists a four-point program to enhance American security while maintaining core values. 1. Promote Human Rights & Democracy. 2. End the Nuclear Threat. 3. Cooperate With the World 4. Alleviate Extreme Poverty

The DC Metro ads are designed to communicate a growing public concern directly to members of Congress by demanding a foreign policy based on core democratic values. This mobilization builds on the momentum from a successful congressional call-in day staged on May 26 and a June 8, door-to-door mobilization in twenty-five congressional districts around California. Three hundred and fifty thousand households will be contacted by the end of the year.

"This mobilization, is just the beginning of a growing wave of opposition to Bush's unilateral and reckless approach to foreign policy," said Peter Ferenbach, Executive Director of California Peace Action. "Our congressional representatives are failing us in the most profound sense if they don't aggressively challenge this madness of targeting nations for preemptive nuclear attack."

The Metro ads complement a newspaper ad campaign and nationwide grassroots mobilization to challenge the Bush Administration's policy of "war without end." The effort, in coalition with 58 other peace, justice and faith-based groups, has included newspaper ads in ten key California congressional districts (June 6), door-to-door outreach to 150,000 individual homes, and Metro ads in Washington, D.C (June 11). The Metro ad campaign will mark the first time that a peace organization has advertised on the DC Metro.

CAPA's newspaper advertising included full- and half-page newspaper ads in ten key Congressional districts urging people to contact Congress and register their desire for a true, lasting security. These ads will be matched by a full-page ad in The New York Times.

Using highly subjective criteria, President Bush is claiming the right to pre-emptively attack any country he labels terrorist. Americans want their government run on democratic principals and the force of law not the law of force. With these ads we are bringing the message directly to Congress, both in their home districts and here in DC, that it is their duty to challenge the excesses of the President s radical unilateralist foreign policy, said Kevin Martin, Executive Director of Peace Action.

To view ads:
http://www.californiapeaceaction.org/org/mobilization3.htm#MetroAds

Peace Action media release
http://www.peace-action.org (c) Peace Action

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