Upcoming Protests Against Torture & Drones

Thursday, March 28, 11am-1pm
Solidarity Action with the Prisoners of Guantanamo
Shut down Guantanamo! Support the Guantanamo Hunger Strikers!

Guantanamo prisoners are on hunger strike and Witness Against Torture has called for actions to denounce the barbaric practice of torture and indefinite detention and to demand justice for the men at Guantanamo. Activists around the world are responding. Some are fasting in solidarity. Some are holding vigils, programs, and actions.

World Can't Wait-Hawai`i urges you to be part of an action on the Halekauwila steps of the Federal Building from 11-1pm. Some will wear orange "jumpsuits". There will be signs, banners and information. Where is the world to save us from torture?
Where is the world to save us from the fire and the darkness?
Where is the world to save the hunger strikers?
 from “Hunger Strike Poem” by
By Adnan Latif, 37 - found dead in
Guantanamo on Sept. 12, 2012

Friday, April 5, 6:30-8:30
Corner of Bethel & Hotel
First Friday Art WalkStop Torture! Shut down Guantanamo

Join World Can't Wait and friends for a 2nd action to oppose torture and call for the shut-down of Guantanamo.

Wednesday, April 17, 9am
Stop Drone Killing & Spying!
McCarthy Mall, University of Hawai`i at Manoa

A coalition of peace and justice groups -- the Network to Stop Drone Surveillance and Warfare (NSDSW) -- has made a call for national protests against drones in April, 2013. Dozens of actions have been planned nationwide, and new events are being added daily. This will be the first of our Oahu actions to oppose drones during the month. Help us bring awareness to the UH-Manoa campus!

Saturday, April 27, 9am
No Drones! Drones Out of Hawai`i!
Protest at Wheeler AFB, Wahiawa
More details will be posted soon. 

Free Bradley Manning!

Honolulu joins the International Day of Support for Bradley Manning

 

18 people came out to hold signs at a busy Honolulu intersection to support Bradley Manning on his 999th day of incarceration.  It's been a long time since we've been out on the streets in Bradley's support and it was obvious that many passers-by did not know who he was.   However, some drivers honked and gave us a shaka or thumbs up.   Far fewer gave us a thumbs-down.   An Occupy activist designed a zine to give to participants and some came with their own signs or made signs on the spot.  

 

World Can't Wait-Hawai`i called for the signholding, but when high winds and heavy rains were forecast they considered cancelling.   One look at the list of cities holding events - which included cities like Oslo and Chicago - caused us to head to the intersection to make support for Bradley visible in spite of the weather.  We were delighted that the rains stopped for at least part of the time and more people joined us than we had expected.

 

Check out actions around the world at http://www.bradleymanning.org

 

 

Speak Out Against the War on Women!

END THE WAR ON WOMEN!

TAKE BACK THE NIGHT!

Friday, March 1, 2013
 

6:30-7:30 - Signholding and Leafleting on the corner of Bethel & Hotel

7:30-8:00 - March thru Chinatown District
 

March 8th is International Women's Day and the month of March is Women's History Month. On First Friday, the 1st day of March, come out with your signs and noisemakers!  
 

Are you fed up with this whole sick and twisted woman-hating culture - full of physical and ideological abuse and domination of women around the world? Rape...domestic violence...violent porn -- and laws that seek to outlaw not only abortion but contraception! Join us on First Friday to speak out against every form of patriarchy!

Action to Support Bradley Manning!

Make Your Support for Bradley Manning Visible!
Friday, February 22, 4:00-5:30pm
Corner of Ward & King at Thomas Square

On February 23 Bradley Manning will have been in prison for 1,000 days!   No Trial.  Torture.  Solitary Confinement.   All for telling the truth!               

World Can't Wait-Hawai`i is calling all Bradley Manning supporters, justice activists, and people who refuse to accept the crimes of your government to speak out to support Bradley and demand his freedom.   Demand an end to this railroad of imprisonment and court martial.  Whistleblowers and truth-tellers should be honored, not locked up for life!

World Can't Wait-Hawai`i will have signs and banners, or you can bring your own.    Be part of a national weekend of support for Bradley!




 

DRONE CRASHES CHINESE NEW YEAR!

Friday night was the first night of the Chinese New Year Celebrations in Chinatown. Lions danced in the streets. Drumming bounced off the walls of surrounding buildings, and tens of thousands of firecrackers created constant noise. Thousands of residents, tourists and GI's filled the streets. Our huge grey drone replica hovered over the celebration - a sober reminder of U.S. warfare in 2013.

Amidst all of the noise, it was almost impossible to have a prolonged conversation, but we caught lots of comments. "What are drones?" "I thought drones were little - like the ones at Barnes and Noble - I didn't know they dropped bombs." "Thanks for doing this." "Better their ass than ours."

A tourist from Vancouver thanked us and said he has been protesting drones in Canada and was happy to see this happening in the U.S. An irate GI yelled: "Drones kill terrorists and I can't wait to kill some more of the mother-f---ers." A professor of international law commented that drones were an outrageous violation of international law and offered to speak at events. Some were happy to see a protest against the drone; a few were outraged that we were there. A small child asked: "Daddy, why is there an airplane?" leaving his dad at a loss to explain. Several GI's knelt in front of a banner reading "Stop the Killer Drones" and flashed a peace sign for a photo, while a couple of other GI's went to the police to demand that we be kicked off the streets. A student from Pakistan quietly thanked us and then started a conversation about drones with her friends. Several people remarked on seeing the drone at the MLK Day Parade and asked what we were going to do next.

Several hundred of our FAQ sheet on drones were distributed and hundreds took pictures of the drone and signs on their cell phones and cameras. We were a small crew, but in two hours we accomplished a lot and are looking forward to rolling the drones through the University of Hawai`i-Manoa campus in the near future.  In the meantime, we urge you to check out a new post on the World Can't Wait website entitled "Responding to Changes in How the U.S. Wages War" at www.worldcantwait.net, and be sure to sign our petition at http://www.change.org/petitions/governor-neil-abercrombie-representative-colleen-hanabusa-end-u-s-drone-attacks-end-hawai-i-s-complicity-in-drone-attacks

ACTION AGAINST KILLER DRONES FRIDAY!

STOP THE KILLER DRONES!
Signholding/Protest at First Friday Art Walk
Friday, February 1, 6:30-8:30pm
Corner of Bethel & Hotel (next to Hawai`i Theatre)

We have some awesome new banners! We'll have the huge drone replica (weather permitting)! We'll have our petition for people to sign! If you haven't already signed, do it now at: petition. And we need you to be on the corner with us.

Hawai`i's campaign against drones is now happening on three islands - O`ahu, Maui, and Hawai`i. Here's why you need to jump into this campaign:  

* The use of Predator and Reaper drones ( by the US military and CIA has caused thousands of deaths in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen and Somalia, many of whom are women and children. Drone strikes are illegal and immoral and Hawai`i is directly involved. The use of drones as a weapon of war is illegal and immoral!

 • President Obama has drastically increased drone strikes and has expanded the use of drones for spying throughout the Middle East and North Africa.

• Drone strikes are in violation of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter. Most drone strikes take place hundreds of miles away from any battlefield where U.S. forces are engaged in combat. The UN Charter limits the use of military force—like drones—in or against another country to self-defense, and only in response to an imminent threat.  

• Drone attacks are in violation of international and domestic laws guaranteeing due or lawful process. Most drone attacks are against groups or individuals the U.S. doesn’t even know and can’t individually identify.   • Initial drone strikes are frequently followed by strikes on those who come to the aid of the victims of that attack – frequently rescuers, loved ones, or neighbors (a practice the U.S. military calls a “double tap”).

 • Drone strikes lack any accountability whatsoever since they are conducted with the push of a button from thousands of miles away;  

• Drone strikes do not make us safer. .Just the opposite. Each strike generates more anger, violence and revenge.  

• Hawai`i plays a crucial role in the U.S. military’s ability to carry out its illegal and immoral drone warfare. Drones are being used in training at the Pohakaloa Military Training area on the Big Island; both Wheeler Air Force Base and Kaneohe Marine Corps Air Station are authorized drone bases. U.S. Representative Colleen Hanabusa is a member of the Congressional Drone Caucus, which was formed to increase the use of drones.

"Stop the Killer Drones" at the MLK Day Parade!

Thanks to everyone who made it possible to have an awesome contingent in the MLK Day Parade!

As our truck approached, with the Reaper drone replica "floating" above, people quickly dug out their cameras and cell phones and began snapping pictures.   Many along the route raised their fists, clapped, or danced to the beat of the drums.   Groups of Japanese tourists waved their hands in the air in the style of the Occupy approval. 

Our truck was fully decked out with banners and signs demanding an end to drone warfare.  Drummers led a crew of kids to keep up a beat on their drums and pans on the entire route while people unable to walk the route shouted from their chairs. 

You can watch a video of our contingent at:
http://youtu.be/vNylcpihmYE and a slide show compilation at http://youtu.be/Mbu5jeBo6OE.

Following are some still photos: