Merrimack
Valley People for Peace
Serving the communities of the Merrimack Valley
2002 - 2003 Highlights
(most recent at the bottom)
COMING
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30
Year History
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ABOUT
MVPP
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Why we still vigil
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pdf)
| September '02 | MVPP
members vigiled and petitioned at Rep. Meehan's Lawrence office. Sean Donahue reported on his second trip to Columbia, supported by MVPP. |
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| October '02 | MVPP
members joined NH Peace Action to protest Bush's Iraq policy at Manchester
Bush fundraiser. MVPP prepared 100 crosses for School of Americas protest, thanks to Arthur Brien & Mary Kate Small. North Andover Citizen article on MVPP. |
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| November '02 | MVPP's
Stone Soup fast raised $120 for Oxfam, thanks to Lois Fisher &
Susan Manning. MVPP members attended School of Americas protest at Fort Benning GA, brought MVPP crosses. MVPP contributed $100 to legal defense of SOA civil disobedience participants. Salem News published an article about MVPP's VP, Tom Gale's trip to Iraq with Veterans for Peace. Lawrence Friends started their weekly vigil in Shawsheen Square. MVPP joined Lawrence Friend's Shawsheen Square vigil. |
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| January '03 |
MVPP held potluck fundraiser for UN Adopt a Minefield. MVPP joined United for Justice and Peace. MVPP joined North Parish Unitarian-Universalist Social Action Committee in Teach-In on Iraq. |
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| February '03 | MVPP
members joined vigils in Lawrence and Reading. MVPP featured in North Andover Citizen and Eagle Tribune articles. MVPP prepared for protest in response to imminent Iraq war.  MVPP members attended NYC Iraq protest rally, the day after Valentines day. This little girl from NYC had made her own sign. |
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| March '03 |
MVPP members joined Andover Candlelight vigil. MVPP members vigil at Rep. Meehan's Lawrence. MVPP member: Masood Sheikh's letter protested Eagle Tribune pro war editorial. MVPP members participated in peace vigils throughout the Merrimack Valley and Boston. MVPP featured in Eagle Tribune article. MVPP members joined Leverett Peace Pagoda's Wake Up Peace/Walk for a New Spring. MVPP sent first aid and toiletry kits to Iraq through AFSC. MVPP joined Boston peace rally. MVPP member's "clip board" for CPAX and UJP. MVPP members held first peace vigil in Wilmington.  Die in March 29. Boston |
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| April '03 | Boston
Globe article featured MVPP. MVPP and North Parish Social Action Committee held Families For Peaceful Tomorrows concert. Five MVPP members had 'letters to the editor' published. |
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| May '03 | MVPP
and Andover Group vigil at George Bush Sr. fundraiser at Phillips
Academy. MVPP members lobbied congressional representatives. MVPP members attended UJP conference in Boston. MVPP started Peace Flag project. |
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| June '03 | MVPP
cosponsored Beverly "Too Many Guns, Not Enough Butter" with
North Shore Coalition. MVPP had tables at MA Democratic Issues Convention where we helped collect enough signatures to almost unanimously pass an Amendment against the Patriot Act & Preemptive War.  Marched in Hispanic Day parade in Lawrence, with the Lawrence 'Comite.' |
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| July '03 |
MVPP members
continued to vigil regularly, with increasingly positive responses. |
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| August '03 | MVPP
held a vigil commemorating the bombing at Hiroshima, attended by 33 people. MVPP ordered bumper stickers and buttons and revised and created handouts for table at vigils and special events. |
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| September '03 |
MVPP had a table
at Lawrence's Bread and Roses Festival |
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| October '03 |
MVPP sponsored four bus tickets for the October 4th Immigrant Workers
Freedom Ride, to New York, and several MVPP members participated in
the ride.  Five
MVPP members rode on ANSWER and UJP buses to the march on Washington
on Oct 25 to protest the occupation in Iraq. Ralph Galen invited remaining
vigilers to present a skit at his Unitarian Universalist church in
Andover that Sunday.MVPP continued to vigil, with more and more positive responses, especially to our Saturday morning table at Old Town Hall in Andover MVPP sent a contribution (of $100) to the Tony Van der Meer defense fund. |
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| November '03 | Model
of the Separation Wall in Israel/Palestine displayed at Saturday
vigil, Old Town Hall Andover. Stone Soup Dinner at monthly meeting, with presentation of Jane Bernhardt's paintings of Hiroshima survivors. Thanksgiving day vigil at the Feaster Five event in Andover. |
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| December '03 | Many
attended Noam Chomsky's talk, December 2, supporting the Massachusetts
Anti-Corporate Clearinghouse. MVPP was one of the cosponsors, and
had a table at the event. MVPP members Mary Kate Small and Hattie Nestle, were among eleven arrested Dec 22 at BAE Headquarters in NH. Another arrested was protest veteran Ruth McKay, who is 84. BAE makes defense electronics under U.S. approved licenses and is the largest defense contractor in NH. Between 55-100 people protested while thousands of Christmas shoppers at the nearby mall saw the protest signs. The protest was endorsed by New Hampshire Peace Action, The Free Radical, Massachusetts Anti Corporate Clearing House, and NH Churchwomen United. Speakers included Bruce Gagnon and Arnie Alpert. Arraignment will be between Jan 14-16. All will plead not guilty. Trial Thurs. March 4, 1pm, Nashua District Court They will plead nolo contender, with a statement. |
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Click
for highlights in 2004, 2005,
2006 |
___________________________________________________
Merrimack Valley
People for Peace meets monthly, on the fourth Tuesday,
at 7:30 pm, at
North Parish Church, North Andover.
(NOT DECEMBER)
Contact
Merrimack Valley People for Peace (978) 685-1389
P.O. Box 573
North Andover, MA 01845
Send material to post on the website to brian@quirk.ws