PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Initial Call for "Healthcare Not Warfare" Action on August 15, downtown Pittsbur
by Tim Vining Tuesday, Jun. 08, 2004 at 11:24 AM
tim@thomasmertoncenter.org (email address validated) 412-361-3022 Thomas Merton Center, 5125 Penn Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15224

This is a call for "Healthcare Not Warfare" actions on the weekend of August 13-15. A massive "Healthcare Not Warfare" rally and march is being organized by Thomas Merton Center and Pennsylvanians United for Single-Payer Health Care (PUSH) on Sunday, August 15, 12 noon, beginning at Market Square, downtown Pittsburgh.

Event: Massive “Healthcare Not Warfare” Rally and March in downtown Pittsburgh.

When? Sunday, August 15, 2004, 12 noon

Where? Participants will gather in Market Square at 12 noon for a rally, followed by a march through downtown Pittsburgh, stop at the Highmark Blue Shield headquarters and the federal building and return to Market Square. We hope to have some sort of symbolic action at both sites to dramatize the number of lives lost due to both the lack of healthcare in the U.S. and the war in Iraq.

Purpose of the Action? To demonstrate that the current administration needs to place a higher priority on meeting the needs of its citizens at home, rather spending hundreds of billions of dollars occupying a foreign country in Iraq. People who may have initially supported the war in Iraq are especially welcomed if they are concerned about the direction of this country and support universal, single-payer healthcare.

Who is Involved? The goal of this day of action is to include, yet reach beyond those who would likely come to a Peace Rally. The emphasis is on healthcare and we hope to include hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people who may not have attended one of Pittsburgh’s peace rallies, yet still feel strongly that our nation’s current priorities are misguided. It is being organized on behalf of Pennsylvanians United for Single-Payer Health Care/PUSH. See http://www.pushnow.org for more information.

Call for Autonomous Events and Direct Action on the “Healthcare Not Warfare” theme. If you or your group is able to plan an event on that weekend, let us know and we will include it in all publicity.

Your Help Is Needed!

Working Groups are being formed for Publicity, Organizational Outreach, Rally Program, Logistics, etc. To volunteer your time and energy contact Tim at the Thomas Merton Center by emailing tim@thomasmertoncenter.org or calling 412-361-3022. We hope to turnout well over a thousand people for this event and the help of many individuals and organizations is needed to make it happen!

Thomas Merton Center
5125 Penn Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15224
412-361-3022
412-361-0540 (fax)
tim@thomasmertoncenter.org
http://www.thomasmertoncenter.org

www.thomasmertoncenter.org and www.pushnow.org

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