March Against Monsanto in Honolulu

More than 1,000 people participated in the march through Waikiki in solidarity with the Global Day of Protest Against Monsanto.  Signs were creative and showed not only peoples' hatred of Monsanto but concern for the environment more broadly.  The crowd was energetic and loud.  All kinds of organizations represented - including World Can't Wait-Hawai`i (which led the march with their banner: "Humanity and the Planet Come First.")  There were people of all ages and ethnicities, and many wore green.   The march was seen and photographed by thousands of tourists and was covered on evening TV news and in the Sunday edition of the Star-Bulletin (although each carefully gave equal time to Monsanto spokespeople).   Following are a few photos from the march:  

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SUPPORT BRADLEY MANNING!

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International Day of Solidarity with Bradley Manning
June 1, 2013

Join the World Can't Wait Contingent
in the Honolulu Pride Parade!

Saturday, June 1, 9:30am
Assemble at Magic Island for a March through Waikiki

June 1 is the International Day of Solidarity with Bradley Manning. On June 3rd he'll go to trial. Bradley Manning is a hero who must be defended by all of us who believe that telling the truth about the crimes of this system is not a crime!

Bradley Manning is also a gay hero who went WAY OUT for JUSTICE! Our contingent will honor him in the Annual Pride Parade (which conveniently happens to be the same day as the int'l day of support).

 Ride on the World Can't Wait truck or march in the parade! Drummers needed. Experienced or inexperienced. All ages welcome! Brian and Eric will lead the beat and everyone can join in with their drum, pan, tambourine... Bring a sign or pick up one of ours.   Get to Magic Island by 9:30am; the march starts at 10am.   Just look for the blue earth flags.  

By popular request our Reaper drone replica will also be on-board. We initially thought this was a stretch, and then thought about "Collateral Damage" - the video courageously revealed by Bradley Manning. Voicing our opposition to drone warfare, while honoring Bradley Manning suddenly seemed most appropriate!

 Last year more than 3,000 participated in the Pride Parade and Festival; more than 10,000 people watched from the sidelines. Pictures of our "float" were beamed around the world via cell phones, i-pads and cameras. Join us in honoring Bradley Manning and opposing drone warfare to help send a strong message of support for Bradley across the planet.

Bring water and sunscreen!    Signs and placards supporting Bradley Manning, Julian Assange, or against Drones will be great.  We'll be marching from Magic Island to Kapiolani Park where there will be a Pride Festival all afternoon. The truck will be returning to Magic Island immediately - and you can catch a ride back to your car if you need. Parking is usually available near Magic Island and is always available at Ala Moana Shopping Center.

Monsanto March Saturday, May 25

World Can't Wait has some great banners and signs for the march aganst Monsanto tomorrow!   Now we just need people to carry them.   Gather at Saratoga and Kalakaua at 10:30.   Then there will be a short mini-rally and the march will take off down Kalakaua Avenue to Kapiolani Park.   This march is part of a Global Day of Protest Against Monsanto that is happening in hundreds of cities around the world (including marches in Hilo, Kona, Maui and Kauai).   Be part of it.  Help us carry our main banner or pick up one of our small signs. 

 

Join World Can't Wait at the March Against Monsanto!

Join World Can't Wait-Hawaii at the Waikiki March Against Monstanto on Saturday, May 25th at 10:30 am.  Just look for the blue earth flags.  We'll have a few signs, or bring your own. 

Shut Down Guantanamo!

Stop the Torture!
Close Guantanamo!
End the War Crimes and Violations of Fundamental Rights!

Take Action and Make a Difference!
 

This weekend marks the 100th day of the Guantanamo Hunger Strike. The courageous action of the hunger strikers has succeeded in bringing attention to the horrors of Guantanamo but that is not enough. Their voices must be amplified. Here are some of the actions you can take:

  * Join Junot Diaz, Daniel Ellsberg, Eve Ensler, Dave Eggers, Glenn Greenwald, Paul Haggis, Bianca Jagger, Erica Jong, Ron Kovic, Tom Morello, Mark Ruffalo, Carl Dix, Cindy Sheehan, and Cornel West Bianca Jagger, Ron Kovic, Medea Benjamin, Wallace Shawn, Ann Wright and hundreds more when you sign and donate toward the publication of a full-page Ad in demanding the closure of Guantanamo in the New York Times! Do it today at:  www.worldcantwait.net.  After you sign, send the ad to your friends and urge them to sign and donate.

* Join World Can't Wait-Hawai`i on Sunday, May 19, at 11am at the Hawai`i Book & Music Festival. We'll be standing in our orange jump suits to demand the closure of Guantanamo and will be passing out leaflets. Meet at the Revolution Books booth at the festival shortly before 11am. We'll be leafleting for an hour - leaving you plenty of time to check out the festival. If you can't make that hour, stop by the Revolution Books booth to pick up our World Can't Wait leaflet at any time on Saturday or Sunday and take some time to leaflet the crowd.  

  * Go to the World Can't Wait or Witness Against Torture websites/b> Get the latest information. At our actions we've learned that some people don't even know Guantanamo exists, and many more think it has been closed. Spread the truth!   Go to www.worldcantwait.net or www.witnesstorture.org.

* Wear an orange armband.   

 * Download the national leaflet and make copies to distribute on the bus, in classrooms, at your church. If you attend religious services, request that your leaders express words of support.


“Let it not be forgotten that ten or more of the detainees were juveniles when they were imprisoned eleven years ago. The major portion of their lives has been lived under detention. The violations of the rights of all the Guantanamo prisoners apply doubly-harshly to these youngsters, whose minds have been irrevocably distorted. They have had no indicator - no indictment, no charge, no accusation, no explanation - as to why they are being held prisoner and cruelly punished. We owe them their lives!” —Rita Maran, Berkeley CA

SUPPORT BRADLEY MANNING!

Saturday, June 1, 2013, 9am
Gay Pride Parade
Contingent to Support Bradley Manning!

June 1st is the Day of Action to Support Bradley Manning at Fort Meade, Maryland, where Bradley Manning will go to trial on June 3rd.Busloads of people will be coming in from cities across the U.S.

June 1st is also the Gay Pride Parade in Honolulu, where we will have a contingent to support Bradley Manning. Clear your calendar! Be sure you're at Magic Island at 9am on June 1st. Make sure your voice of support is heard (and seen).

As you may know, Bradley Manning was chosen to be a Grand Marshal at the San Francisco Pride Parade. Daniel Ellsberg was to ride in his place. But just days after the choice of Manning was announced, the Pride committee revoked the decision, issuing a baldly pro-military and anti-Bradley Manning statement that said in part: “[E]ven the hint of support for actions which placed in harm’s way the lives of our men and women in uniform—and countless others, military and civilian alike—will not be tolerated by the leadership of San Francisco Pride. Needless to say, this action provoked an enormous outcry - including from LGBTQ leaders and while Bradley Manning will not be Grand Marshal (at this point), Bradley will have a big presence within the parade, which will be on June 30th.

The Honolulu Pride Parade is among the earliest in the country and photos of our contingent will spread far and wide. Tell everyone you know and bring a big group of friends!

World Can't Wait will have a truck, huge pictures of Bradley Manning, along with Bradley Manning "masks". Everyone is invited to bring their own message of support. We're including a few photos of our contingent in the Gay Pride Parade several years ago. Let's make this year's much larger and even more visible!

To follow what's happening in the campaign to support Bradley Manning go to: www.bradleymanning.org.