WHEELS OF JUSTICE TOUR TO VISIT PORTLAND AREA TO SPEAK ABOUT THE OCCUPATIONS OF
IRAQ AND PALESTINE
Eyewitness speakers will roll into Portland and Vancouver on a peace-painted,
biodiesel bus to show and talk about the occupation of Iraq and Palestine as
part of the Wheels of Justice Spring 2008 Tour. The public talks and bus open
houses focus on nonviolent education, justice and human rights and will take
place February 28 through March 2 at various colleges and churches in the area.
The major public events will be 11 AM Friday, February 29 at Terry Schrunk
Plaza (across from the Federal Building), 7 PM Saturday, March 1 at First
Unitarian Church, and 9 AM Sunday, March 2 at Central Lutheran Church.
The bus drives across the nation and the eyewitnesses share their accounts from
Iraq and Palestine to challenge and educate Americans about the repercussions
of war and occupation on people abroad and Americans at home. Having seen and
lived with war, terror and occupation in Iraq and Palestine, the tour's
featured speakers, Mazin Qumsiyeh and Mike Miles, say that justice and human
rights are the only real roadmap for peace. They will offer firsthand
experience irrespective of partisan politics.
Qumiyeh is Palestinian American and former Professor of Genetics Yale
University School of Medicine. He is author of the widely acclaimed book
"Sharing the Land of Canaan: Human Rights and the Israeli-Palestinian Struggle"
and appears in national media, interviews and print. Miles is a catholic worker
and founder of Anathoth Community Farm, a center for the study of nonviolence,
community, and sustainable living in Wisconsin. He holds a masters degree from
North Park Seminary in Chicago and has been arrested numerous times while
practicing active nonviolence over the past 25 years. He has spent time as a
human rights observer in both Iraq and Palestine.
The mobile peace center has made over a thousand stops at campuses, peace
groups, and faith communities promoting non violent solutions to war and
occupation. The public is invited to attend the following free speaking events
and bus open houses in our region:
Friday (Feb. 29): 11:00 am - 1:00 pm at Terry Schrunk Plaza, SW 3rd and
Madison, Portland
Women in Black vigil 503-288-8958 Saturday (Mar. 1): 7:00 - 9:00 pm at First
Unitarian Church, 1011 SW 12th Ave, Portland,
Public presentation 503-228-6389 Sunday (Mar. 2): 9:00-10:00 am speakers, 11:30
am-12:30 pm bus open house and refreshments, and 12:30-1:30 pm speakers at
Central Lutheran Church, 1850 NE 21st, Portland, 503-284-2331
The Wheels of Justice bus will also be on the campuses of Clark College and
Washington State University in Vancouver on Thursday (Feb. 28) and Reed College
in Portland on Friday (Feb. 29). A Saturday (March 1) visit at Portland State
University is also being planned. At some campuses the eyewitnesses will also
be guest speakers at various classes.
Nationally the tour is supported and hosted by a number of organizations
including Fellowship of Reconciliation and Jews Against the Occupation.
Local endorsers include Women's International League for Peace and
Freedom, Americans United for Palestinian Human Rights, Peace and Justice Works
Iraq Affinity Group, Friends of Sabeel - North America, and Lutherans for
Justice in the Holy Land - A Ministry of Central Lutheran Church.
For more information on the bus, see www.JusticeWheels.org. For local
information call Women in Black at 503-288-8958 or visit the Peace and Justice
Works website at http://www.pjw.info.
