Taking the Occupation to Sen. Kohl

For those who would like to take part in the "occupation" of Sen. Kohl's Madison office (at 14 W. Mifflin St, Suite 207) to support bringing U.S. troops home from Iraq, the Weds Feb 14 vigil will run from 4:30 to 5:00 pm, and the Weds Feb 21 vigil from 4:00 to 5:00 pm.

From local peace activist Joy First:

We began our participation in the Occupation Project with a vigil in Senator Kohl's Madison office Wednesday February 7. Senator Kohl refuses to take any kind of stand or do anything to end the war in Iraq. We have occupied his office many times over the last couple of years. Now, as part of the Occupation Project we plan to occupy his office weekly for the next couple of months.

Six adults and one 4 month-old baby (my grandson) were present in the reception area of Senator Kohl's office and read names of Iraqi people, many many of them children, and US military people who have died in the war. We had three large posters. One said "Senator Kohl. Listen to the People. Stop the War Now." One had pictures of Iraqis, showing the horrors and suffering of the war. One showed pictures of the 67 Wisconsin soldiers who have died in the war. When I updated the poster, I had to add seven pictures of Wisconsin soldiers who have died since November. As I printed their pictures and added them to the poster I thought about the terror they must have felt the last moments of their lives, dying so young and so far from home and loved ones.

We will be visiting Senator Kohl's office on Feb. 14, Feb. 19 and weekly after that to demand that he vote no on the supplemental funding for the war. We will increase the level of our actions, continuing to risk arrest, as we call for an end to the immoral and illegal occupation of Iraq. For more information on the Occupation Project, see vcnv.org.