Press
Advisory
March 10, 2008
MONONA WOMAN
JOINING PEACE ACTIVISTS IN WASHINGTON, DC: RISKING ARREST ON CAPITOL HILL ON
WEDNESDAY
Contact: Joy First 608
239-4327
Joy First, Monona, will be in Washington, DC this week. On Tuesday, First will join
with Stop-Loss Congress (www.stop-losscongress.org ). As
members of Congress prepare to return to their districts next week for Easter
break, men and women in Iraq
continue to receive stop-loss orders from the government, telling them they must
remain in Iraq even though their contracted
tour of duty is over. First will join others in delivering stop-loss orders
(see website for example of order) to members of Congress, including Wisconsin
legislators, telling them they cannot go home on break until all the troops are
safely home.
On Wednesday, First will join members of the National
Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance (www.iraqpledge.org ) in an action of
nonviolent civil resistance on Capitol Hill where she and about 15 others will
be risking arrest. First has been arrested in DC about 8 times since the war in
Iraq began in March of 2003. She is
committed to speaking out against the immoral and illegal actions of the Bush
administration, and calling on Congress to do their job and end the war and
occupation. After a guilty conviction in January for an action in the U.S.
Capitol in September of 2007, First and others who will be taking action on
Wednesday are on probation and have a 10-day suspended jail sentence that could
be instated. First said, “I don’t do this because I want to be arrested. I
would rather be home with my family, but it is for my children and grandchildren
that I must speak the truth about what our government is doing. My husband said
to me last night that what I am doing is the right thing and I should not be
getting arrested for it. Bush and Cheney are the ones who should be getting
arrested for all the serious laws they have broken, for their crimes against
humanity. It is my responsibility to uphold the Nuremberg Principles and do
this work”
Joy is a contact for the WNPJ member group - National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance.
