Good News!
by Lisa Ann Pierce, WAMM

Europeans Flood Streets in Opposition to War

Reuters reports that “more than half a million anti-war protesters from across Europe” marched through Florence, Italy, on Saturday, November 9, 2002. The nonviolent protest “marked the climax of the first European Social Forum, a four-day meeting of anti-globalization campaigners from all over Europe.” Topics at the forum ranged from Palestine to international debt reduction. Interest in the anti-war protest grew following the previous day’s passage of a UN Security Council resolution to disarm Iraq. Organizers estimated the crowd size at “around one million” (November 9, 2002).

Activists Oppose U.S. Weapons of Mass Destruction

In October, a massive stockpile of weapons of mass destruction was exposed . . . in Colorado. Three Dominican sisters marked the anniversary of the start of the U.S. war on Afghanistan by entering a Minuteman II missile silo in northern Colorado. Using the book of Isaiah as inspiration, they hammered on the concrete silo lid and the tracks used to open the lid to its firing position. They were arrested and charged with sabotage and malicious destruction of property of the United States. The activists plan to fight the charges; former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark will be on the defense team (Citizens for Peace in Space).

Lula Elected Brazilian President

Luis Inacia Lula da Silva was elected president of Brazil in October, becoming the nation’s first leftist elected president. Lula reports his priority will be the reduction of hunger among poor Brazilians. He plans to create a cabinet-level position to deal with critical human welfare issues, including hunger, housing, and health (Pioneer Press, October 29, 2002).

ACLU Files Suit Against Bush Administration

The American Civil Liberties Union sued the Bush Administration in October, insisting that the Administration release information about expanded surveillance efforts initiated by the Department of Justice following September 22, 2001. In particular, the ACLU wants to know more about how the DOJ is collecting information from Internet service providers, libraries, and bookstores (Pioneer Press, October 25, 2002).