Peace activists in Meadville PA and Dunkirk NY will be marching in the
Memorial Day parades of those communities. Below are messages from
their organizers about participating in those events:

MEADVILLE Women in Black/Vets for Peace
Dear Friends,
This year will mark the fifth year that Meadville's Women in Black and Veterans for Peace have marched in the annual Memorial Day Parade.

And what a five years it has been. In year one, we had to fight resistance to even be allowed to participate. But we prevailed and carried over 75 gold star service flags to honor and remember those who have died in the war on Iraq and to remind our friends and neighbors of the human face and cost to this war. Some folks in the crowd booed us and others turned their backs.

Louis Vitale, OFM

Please join us:

Thursday, May 7, 2009
7:00 p.m.
Villa Maria
Campus Lecture Hall
2400 West 8th Street
Erie PA

Louie Vitale is an internationally recognized voice for
peace
and nonviolence and co-founder of Pace e Bene, an organization which
“fosters a more peaceful and just world through nonviolence education,
community building and action.” He is also co-founder of Nevada Desert
Experience—a movement to stop US nuclear weapons testing.

Father Louie

Darrel Vandeveld, J.D., of Erie, made headlines around the world when he asked to resign his post as prosecuting attorney at Guantanamo due to ethical concerns. 

On March 19 at 7PM Mr. Vandeveld will speak at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Erie about his experiences at Guantanamo.

The event is sponsored by the Erie Peace Initiative.

The Erie Peace Initiative will be be holding a Veterans Day vigil on November 11 in Perry Square in downtown Erie.The vigil will observe the original antiwar purpose of the day.More details soon. Information (814)864-8818

The Allegheny College Peace Coalition is sponsoring a concert on October 24th at 9:00-11:00p.m. Campus Center Lobby at Allegheny College, Meadville PA.  Features Matty B. & the Dirty Pickles and Ice Cream Social. Refreshments include pizza, ice cream and pop.  The concert is to support Operation Homefront. Operation Homefront supports soldiers who don't want to engage in the current US wars of choice and whose families are suffering wrongfully because of these wars.  Contact: brandea@allegheny.edu

Vietnam War Veteran Mike Hastie will display his original photography about the tragedies of the Vietnam War at the Allegheny College Campus Center in Meadville PA on October 9 from 7:00 to 8:30 PM. The event is sponsored by the Allegheny Peace Coalition. For more information contact Sandy Kelson at sandkel@hughes.net (related event at LaRoche College in  in McCandless PA  October 14).

Allegheny College Peace Coalition (ACPC) will be holding a candlelight vigil on September 11th.
We'd like the vigil to memorialize those lives lost on the
actual day in 2001, while acknowledging the continuing loss of life
through the act of war. ACPC is committed to making events such as this
open, healing, and peace-promoting.

Erie , Pennsylvania – On Friday, August 8 at 12:00 p.m., members of the Erie Peace Initiative (EPI) will assemble at Pennsylvania State Senator Jane Earll’s Erie office and announce a “People’s Resolution” campaign:

Be it resolved, the citizens of Pennsylvania demand:

(1) That our Governor pursue and exhaust every avenue in his power to stop further deployment of Pennsylvania National Guard troops to Iraq .
(2) That our Governor pursue and exhaust every avenue in his power to bring the Pennsylvania National Guard troops currently deployed in Iraq home without delay.

We are collecting signatures on a petition addressed to Governor Rendell, to bring the PA National Guard home from Iraq, with no new deployments. We are working with partners across the state. Legislation will be introduced the the Pennsylvania House and Senate. Download the Word version of the petition here. ~ Erie Peace Initiative