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Artists and Writers' Against War on Iraq
The Artists and Writers petition against War on Iraq was recently translated into French and Italian. Many more writers and artists have signed the petition in translation. Thanks to Alain Jardy, editor of the French SF magazine Galaxies, for alerting me to this example of international solidarity.
On Saturday, April 12th, 2003, at 1pm Ursula K Le Guin, RV Branham, Eileen Gunn, L. Timmel Duchamp, and other writers, readers, americans, slans, and people who are for free speech will gather at SW Salmon and Park to protest the Patriot Act and protect our libraries from the FBI.
More Information Here
Le Guin Delivers Petition
On December 6th, 2002, author Ursula K. Le Guin delivered the "Artists and Writers' Petition Against War on Iraq." Ms. Le Guin led a group of fifty war protesters from Portland's Pioneer Square to the office of congressman David Wu, expressed her gratitude for Wu's principled vote against the war, and urged that the congressman continue to do all that he could to stop what would be a senseless and bloody invasion.
On Tuesday, December 10th, 2002, the petition was presented in New Zealand to Green Party MP Keith Locke, and on the following Saturday, December 14th, the petition was a part of a large protest in Wellington. Up to a thousand marched down Wellington's main street, Lambton Quay, to Midland Park. There Tim Jones, who cowrote the "Artists and Writers' Petition Against War on Iraq," read from the petition and spoke on the importance of dissent.
The petition was sent to the White House and to the United Nations on March 18th, 2003. However, we will continue to update the petition with new signatures as Bush's "Coalition of the Willing" hurls us into what could be a cataclysmic war. Many of the writers who signed this petition are now working on other actions and protests. As we continue to dissent and resist our efforts will be related on this webpage.
The delivery of this petition received some attention from local media in Portland, Oregon. ABC affiliate KATU not only reported on the protest and march to Wu's office, but they created the nifty logo you see to your left. Of course, KATU also failed to mention that the petition was for artists and writers and ignored the presence of Ursula K. Le Guin entirely. We also gained attention from Oregon's Public Broadcasting radio station which aired a short interview with Le Guin from Wu's office. The story was also featured on Portland's Indymedia website.
A question about the proper use of military force as a means of self-defense has been raised in response to this petition. Here is the petition authors' response to the question of self defense as it regards the war on terrorism.
The "Artists and Writers Oppose Expanding 'War on Terrorism' to Iraq" petition was co-written by New Zealand author Tim Jones and Douglas Lain. Artists and writers are especially encouraged to sign this petition, however everyone's signature is welcome.
The Petition
Artists have both the ability and the moral obligation to combat deceit and distortion. It is this ability to illuminate even difficult truths that defines an artist.
Truth has been one of the casualties of the "War on Terrorism". Assassinations, bombings, and chemical and biological attacks, whether perpetrated by individuals or states, are crimes. They should be dealt with by the rule of law, and not by the use of indiscriminate force. With this in mind, we condemn the US "War on Terrorism" and call upon both the US government and the "anti-terrorist" coalition to end this war, which benefits no-one but those who are making money from it, and which is sowing the seeds of future terrorism and violence.
The "War on Terrorism" is now being used to justify further US aggression against the people of Iraq. Such aggression would lead to a high civilian and military death toll and a further deterioration of the situation in the Middle East.
* We call upon the United States and the United Nations to lift all economic sanctions on Iraq.
* We call upon the United States and its allies to abandon preparations for war against Iraq.
* We call upon the United States, Iraq, and all other countries to refrain from developing and deploying weapons of mass destruction.
* We call upon Iraq to allow the resumption of weapons inspections, and upon the United States to allow these weapons inspectors to operate independently rather than as a projection of US interests.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned
Sign Petition By Email
The list of names is in reverse chronological order. The comments from the signers have been left off, for now, but will return.
351. Mary Pellegatta, Milano, Italy
350. Michael Schiffmann
349. Eleanor Gould, Charleston, WV
348. Christopher Andersen,Columbus,OH USA
347. Tracie Laymon, Austin, TX
346. Joseph Webb, sculptor, Estacada, Or 97023
345. Andrea W. Royall-Jones, Chapel Hill, NC
344. Greg Loduha, Marquette, MI
343. Phil Mazure USA
342. Kay Kinghammer
341. Doris Rowe
340. Jennifer Bradshaw
339. Shawn E Douglas, St Louis, MO
338. Michelle Elder, Baton Rouge, LA
337. Terry Black, Anaheim, CA
336. Phoenix, poet/singer/songwriter/artist/activist, California
335. Bobbi Emmett, Scottsdale, Arizona
334. Ruth Nicoll, Aotearoa, New Zealand
333. Ceceil DePrey, USA
332. Sacha Calagopi, Philippines
331. Tim Elder, Baton Rouge, LA
330. Dr. Andrew McGrath, Epping, NSW, Australia
329. Oleksiy Omelyanchuk, Oxford University, United Kingdom
328. Larissa Boeck, Cedar Falls, IA, USA
327. John Collazos, Culver City, ca
326. Christina Bronnestam, Sweden
325. Les Benton
324. Dr. Jacques Coulardeau
323. paul j ditz, Australia
322. Shawn E Douglas, St Louis, MO
321. Jeni Simpson, Aotearoa/New Zealand
320. Pamela Barakat, Sydney Australia
319. Thomas Small
318. Brigitte Epple, Artist, New York City
317. Milla Chatman, Orlando, FL USA
316. Todd Feiler, Cazadero, California
315. peter syvanen,quebec, canada
314. Jonathan Crossland, United Kingdom
313. Paul klein aka Pagk, NY, USA
312. Byron Barnard, UK
311. helen whittaker, u.k.
310. Madeleine Reardon Dimond
309. Rita Rochefort, Montreal (Quebec), Canada
308. Mike Haskett
307. Steve Tornblom
306. Chiyoko Szlavnics, Toronto/Berlin, Germany
305. Judy Stewart, Adelaide, Australia
304. Briana Stewart, Adealide, Australia
303. Jake Stewart, Adelaide, Australia
302. Ross Stewart, Adelaide, Australia
301. Jason Ash, Adelaide, Australia
300. Bob Kruger, North Bend, WA
299. Helen Holden, Auckland, New Zealand
298. Ricardo Paret, Puerto Rico
297. Devin Venable, Tulsa, Oklahoma
296. jenny robins, sussex england
295. Bastian Link, Isenbuttel, Germany
294. Ann Welsh
293. Ken Welsh
292. Ilanna Mandel
291. Gabriel Edson, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
290. Colin O'Shea, Austin, TX
289. Louise Marley
288. Clare Hanrahan, Asheville, NC
287. Scott Briggs, Forest Hills, NY
286. Hazel Robins
285. Neliah Fuchs, Berlin, Germany
284. Wendy Counsil, Eugene, Oregon
283. Ryan Sherman
282. Diane Severson, Frankfurt, Germany
281. Beth Berolzheimer
280. Delphine Perreten, Switzerland
279. Sandy Brooke, Oregon, USA
278. Mary Jo Duffy, Montclair, NJ, USA
277. Crystal Kingston
276. Michele Vogel, France
275. David Langford, Reading, England
274. Eileen Gunn, Seattle, Washington, USA
273. Florent Faessel
272. Henry Wessells
271. Terry McGarry, Long Island, NY
270. Katheryn Corbin, Milwaukee,WI USA
269. Roland C.Wagner
268. Christopher Barzak
267. Richard Parks
266. Dianne Heidke-USA/Australia
265. Kate Finley
264. Hans Koning
263. Dina Bursztyn, NY, USA
262. Mary H Lynch, Brooklyn, NY, USA
261. Zhivoglyadov Egor, Russia
260. Michael Swanwick
259. Raymond Karpuska, Boca Raton, Florida - USA
258. Mary Jane Leach, New York, NY
257. Rick Stone, Kingston, NY
256. Sheila Wise, Kingston, NY
255. Lenore Von Stein, NYC
254. Thomas Matsuda, Massachusetts
253. Robert A. Schaefer, Jr, New York City, USA
252. Rick Hauser
251. Dale Borges
250. Margaret Shindler, Gearhart, OR
249. Elaine Kain
248. george Johnson, Portland,oregon
247. Satima Flavell Neist, Perth, Western Australia
246. Vicky Locke, Cincinnati, OH, USA
245. Lily Chrywenstrom, Australia
244. Nigel Read Perth, Western Australia
243. William Neven, Ft. Meyers, FL
242. Amy Jones, Portland, OR
241. Karl Gafford, Tampa, FL
240. Emily Loftis, Cleveland, TN
239. K.J. Bishop, Australia
238. Karen Petronio, United States
237. Blaine Greenwood, Alberta, Canada
236. Druene Sweet-Greenwood, Alberta, Canada
235. Lorenza Scarpitta, Los Angeles and Rome, Italy
234. Catherine Hodges
233. Dave Locke
232. Lynette Aspey, Australia
231. Ernie Gerzabek, artist, Sydney Australia
230. Kate Mytron, Portland, Oregon
229. Paul Joseph Borte, Portland Oregon, USA
228. Frances F. Kaplan, West Linn, Oregon
227. Deborah Wiese, Portland, OR, USA
226. Susan Detlefsen, Portland, Oregon, USA
225. Pat Vivian, Portland, OR
224. John Aegard
223. Jenny Levison, USA
222. Tom Hayes
221. Ashley Hayes
220. linda dalal sawaya, portland, or, u.s.a.
219. Noah Mickens, Portland, OR, USA
218. Tricia Booth, Wakefield, England
217. C M Ashton, New Zealand
216. LEO CAPPEL, NEW ZEALAND
215. Stephanie Hills, Hamilton, New Zealand
214. Katherine Dewar, Auckland
213. Diane Percy, New Zealand
212. Puri Alvarez, Wellington, New Zealand
211. Carolyn McCurdie, New Zealand
210. Richard Baxter, South Australia
209. Richard Stout
208. Nicholas Levis, New York City and Berlin, Germany
207. Christine L. Maier, Los Angeles
206. Anne Stahl, California, USA
205. Susan Webb, Surrey, England
204. daniel r andrade
203. Kristin Livdahl, Oakdale, Minnesota
202. Ben Peek, Sydney, Australia
201. jon courtenay grimwood
200. Mike Chinn
199. Mark Chadbourn
198. David Schwartz
197. Stan Nicholls
196. Anne Gay
195. Jim Linwood, UK
194. Vandana Singh
193. Michael Thomas, USA
192. Jeffrey Ford
191. Dan'l Danehy-Oakes, Alameda, CA, USA
190. Jessica Amanda Salmonson, USA
189. Stephanie Descoteaux, Canada
188. Paul Harvey, Australia
187. Deborah Biancotti, Sydney, Australia
186. Robert Devereaux, Fort Collins, CO
185. Leslie Howle
184. Rose Platt, San Francisco, CA, USA
183. Todd Mason, Philadelphia, PA
182. Lu’s Rodrigues, Portugal
181. Robert Morales, NYC, USA
180. Andrew I. Porter, Brooklyn, NY
179. Scott Cupp
178. Ursula K. LeGuin, Portland, OR, USA
177. Janice McMahon USA
176. Ross Balcom, USA
175. Freddie Baer, USA
174. Michael Manzer, USA
173. Joe Monti, Queens, NY, USA
172. Alex Irvine, USA
171. Diana Candelario, US
170. James Patrick Kelly, USA
169. Keith Brooke, UK
168. Robin Miller
167. Terry Bisson, USA
165. Carter Moody, Nashville USA
164. Christopher Volker, USA
163. Brent Kellmer, US
162. Cat Sparks, Australia
161. Chris Dodson
160. Stephen Dedman
159. Russell B. Farr, Narrogin, Western Australia
158. Forrest Aguirre, USA
157. Michael Capobianco, USA
156. Dr. Liz Williams
155. Neal Blaikie, USA
154. Paul T. Riddell, USA
153. Jeff Vandermeer
152. Claude Lalumiere, Montreal Canada
151. gabe chouinard, USA
150. Scott Jenkins, germany
149. robert bidleman
148. Liz Wicker, USA
147. Shannon Hubbell USA New Orleans, LA
146. Jeff Woosley, United States WI
145. Charles Stross, UK
144. Chris Haynes, USA
143. Andre Perkowski, Arcadia, CA
142. Michael A. Crane, Jr. USA Washington State
141. Pamela Taylor, USA
140. Chris Moore, USA
139. Ruth Harton, USA
138. Rich Redman, United States
137. Robert M. Angilly, USA
136. Dale A. Mason - Barbados
135. Henrik Harbin, USA San Marcos CA
134. Michael Abrams
133. Thomas Diehl, Germany
132. J. M. Comeau
131. Gary A. Braunbeck, USA
130. Kristen Cooper, United States
129. Chris Brody, United Kingdom
128. Cassidy Curtis, USA
127. Kari Holman
126. diego Santos
125. Daniel Dempsey, USA Tucson, AZ
124. Stefan Hurzeler, USA
123. Cristina Ajemia, United States
122. Mary Hungerford, USA
121. Adolfo J. Herrera, U.S.A.
120. Bruce Golden, San Diego
119. Antonia Mandry, USA
118. merissa storey, US
117. G. O. Clark, USA Davis, CA
116. Anna Barker, New Zealand
115. Misty Mikesell, United States of America
114. Dorothy Mauser, United States of America
113. Deborah Crabtree, Australia
112. Charles N. Brown
111. Christina Crooks, USA
110. Phyllis Gotlieb, Canada
109. Patricia Louise Taylor, USA
108. Nick Winlund, USA
107. Victoria Strauss, USA
106. Jennifer Schwabach, United States
105. John R Peterson, USA
104. Kathryn Cramer, United States
103. Jo Stanbridge, Canada
102. Cailtin Collings, U.S.
101. A Saleh, usa
100. F. R. Taylor, U.S.A. Seattle
99. Anne Sydenham, Australia
98. Dawn GoldenEagle, USA Tucson, AZ
97. P.M. Carlson, USA
96. Phyllis Dolph, USA
95. Kim Collucci, US
94. Laurie Hansen, US
93. Laine Langridge, Australia
92. Kelly Link, USA
91. Jason Harrell
90. S.J. Wilde, USA
89. Ian Grey, New York Brooklyn
88. Daniel Rubin, USA San Francisco
87. Nick Mamatas, US New Jersey
86. Marylisa W. DeDomenicis, USA
85. Warren Ritter, United States
84. Rebecca Kuder
83. Robert Wexler, U.S.A.
82. michelle staublin
81. Sally Gwylan, USA Laguna, NM
80. Norbert Petersen, Germany Hamburg
79. Miriam Markum Lain, USA Portland
78. Vincent Devlahovich
77. Juliet Marillier, Australia
76. Trina U.S.
75. sabine holt, AUSTRALIA
74. Kenneth Brady USA
73. Lisa Goldstein
72. Stephanie Burgis, USA
71. Suzy Charnas
70. Susan Casper, USA
69. Patrick Samphire, UK
68. Ellen Datlow, USA
67. John Kessel, USA
66. Karen Fowler, USA
65. Bronwyn Trudgeon
64. James Mulhearn USA
63. Stephanie Toth, USA, Kansas City, MO
62. Judith Bryers Holloway, New Zealand
61. Nicolia Jester, USA
60. david alley, nz
59. Dwayne Anderson, Canada
58. AKIRA ISHIMARU, JAPAN
57. Jena Hurlbert, USA, Bellingham, WA
56. Fuzz The UK
55. Razali A. M., Malaysia
54. A M ALI
53. Peter Spuller, US
52. mike hanson, usa
51. J.A.Powers, U.S.A. Reseda, CA
50. Richard Tiedemann
49. Jamie P. Stephens, USA
48. julia bellamy
47. Errol Wright, New Zealand
46. Rhianna Byrd, USA
45. John Matthew Davis
44. L. Timmel Duchamp, USA, Seattle, WA
43. Victoria Garcia, USA
42. Brandon Freels
41. Cydney Visio, United State
40. joanne e bains
39. Robert Gregory
38. Craig M. Ruderman
37. Gerri Thomas
36. Travis Kerschen, USA, Houston, TX
35. Riemke ENSING, New Zealand
34. Ann Louise Mitcalfe, Aotearoa
33. Katherine Klein, USA
32. Marjorie Sandoz, USA
31. terrance burton, USA
30. Rose A. Lewis
29. Catherine Thomasson US
28. Danny Kerschen
27. Gabrielle America
26. Brock L. Turner, USA, Lake Oswego, OR
25. Phyllis V. Boyd USA
24. Steven Utley, United States
23. Wendy Chew, UAE
22. Kathryn Schwab
21. noura ali, uae
20. Linda USA
19. PHILIP TEMPLE, New Zealand
18. Stevan Eldred-Grigg, New Zealand
17. Michael Moorcock, UK
16. Donna Barr, USA Bremerton, WA
15. Michael R. Allen, USA Saint Louis, Missouri
14. Joe Murphy, USA
13. Daniel Shea, USA Portland,OR
12. Christopher Johnson, USA
11. Robert Killheffer, NY
10. Kathleen Juergens, USA Portland, Oregon
9. Paul Williams, U.S.
8. Jessica Reisman, USA
7. Emily Trinkaus
6. timothy james, USA
5. Tim Jones , Aotearoa / New Zealand
4. Anna Barker, New Zealand
3. Richard Lochner, USA, Portland, OR
2. A.M. Dellamonica, Canada
1. Douglas Lain, USA, Portland, Oregon