October 7 Teach-Ins Against War on Iraq/War on Terrorism

Why October 7?

October 7, 2001 is the day U.S. forces began bombing Afghanistan. Less than a month after the horrific terrorist attacks of September 11, the Bush administration chose to respond by bombing equally innocent Afghan civilians. The attacks fueled anti-Americanism in the region, and failed to reduce—possibly increased—the threat of terrorist attack against the United States.

A year later, President Bush tells us that America's greatest enemy is no longer Osama bin Laden, but Saddam Hussein. U.S. forces are still entangled in Afghanistan, and more importantly, Bush has failed to provide solid evidence that Iraq is an immediate or credible threat to the U.S. By attacking Iraq without this proof, he institutes a dangerous precedent of "pre-emptive strikes," in which a nation can wage war against another nation without provocation. Bush has tried and failed to find any link between Iraq and al-Qaeda terrorists. Does he plan to embark on this war in addition to the "war on terrorism" he claimed would not end in our lifetimes?

Iraqi citizens have suffered for years under sanctions and recurrent bombing; even President Bush admits that the target is Saddam Hussein, not the Iraqi people, but it is the Iraqi people who will suffer in the event of a war. In additon, this war doesn't just put Iraqi civilians in danger—it puts Americans in danger. President Bush offered no new evidence against Iraq in his speech to the United Nations, and U.S. allies continue to oppose the war. The post-9/11 outpouring of sympathy from our longstanding allies in the Middle East is dwindling, and many sources believe that an attack on Iraq will incite further violence throughout the Middle East. This will not be a brief skirmish, but a long embroilment in which innocent civilians and U.S. soldiers—men and women our age—will be killed.

Student Peace Action Network, the Institute for Policy Studies, the Fourth Freedom Forum, MERIP, and Global Exchange are working together to coordinate campus and community teach-ins against a war on Iraq during the week of October 7. It's time for campuses to weigh in and say "no" to this wrong-headed war.

Tips on Organizing a Teach-In

Reserve a space in advance. There may be special procedures to follow or forms to fill out, so don't wait until the last minute.

Make a checklist of essentials to take care of—a reliable sound system and someone who knows how to use it should be on the list.

Think broadly about possible speakers. Some ideas:

• Ask professors of political science, public policy, Middle Eastern and other international studies, government, or history who can give background on the U.S. relationship to Iraq, alternatives to attacking Iraq, and other relevant topics.



• Invite local journalists or newspaper editors who have written op-eds/editorials opposing a war on Iraq.



• Contact local veterans' organizations to find veterans, from the Gulf War or other wars, who can speak on the realities of military action, what it means to commit troops to a war on Iraq, and their personal experiences.



• Co-sponsor or collaborate with international student organizations on campus to make sure you are covering international perspectives. Some of their members may be able to speak on the effects of U.S. foreign policy from personal experience. They may also be able to speak about the difficulties faced by international students as a direct result of the war on terrorism.



• Invite local activists, including those from Peace Action affiliates. Some community activists may also be able to speak on the local effects of the war on terrorism in the past year, including layoffs, economic effects, and the treatment of Muslim and Arab-Americans. They can also offer specific information on how citizens can actively oppose a war on Iraq.

Publicize far and wide. Use flyers, posters, table tents, leaflets, announcement bulletins, word of mouth, sidewalk chalk, plugs on campus radio, and other means to promote the event.

Get help to cover your costs, which may include speaker fees. Many colleges have funds reserved for invited speakers, for which registered groups are eligible to apply. Put in formal requests to departments: peace studies, international affairs, political science, religion, etc. Ask for donations from local businesses: paper, envelopes, pens, poster board, paint, photocopying services, etc. If you want to serve refreshments, many bagel shops and grocery stores will give you day-old baked goods for free.

1,001 Household Uses for a Teach-In

Even beyond educating people on the war on Iraq and war on terrorism, you can (and should) use your October 7 teach-in to accomplish several objectives at once:

• Throughout the teach-in, give your audience an immediate opportunity to act against the war. In addition to a table with literature, have a letter-writing table set up with envelopes, paper, pens, addresses for your state representatives, and basic talking points on Iraq. This ensures that your efforts go beyond education and carry over into immediate action. Point out the table several times during the teach-in.



• Use the opportunity to fundraise. At the letter-writing table, have clearly labeled containers for donations, and ask people to give what they can to cover the cost of postage and supplies. Between speakers, announce that you are taking a collection for [the cost of letter-writing supplies, photocopying more materials, bringing more speakers to campus, a donation to SPAN or one of the other organizations sponsoring the Iraq teach-ins, etc.] and pass around a basket. If you'd like to sell SPAN t-shirts as an additional fundraiser, we can sell them you at cost; contact the SPAN coordinator.



• Use the teach-in to build support for future actions. Pass around a sign-up list for people who would like more information, want to be contacted to volunteer, or want to be notified of actions against war on Iraq. Have another one at your tables. Publicize your group's meeting times. You can also use this opportunity to sign people up for the Iraq Pledge of Resistance.



• Maximize the impact of the teach-in by getting media coverage. This means on and off-campus media-this is the time to use (or make) contacts at the school paper and radio station. Getting off-campus media coverage for your event is easier than you think, and it will help promote your message as well as demonstrate the strength of the opposition to the war. If you do get coverage, even in your school paper, send us your press clips.