Dear Friends, A group of Madison peace activists will mark the one year anniversary of the beginning of the U.S. war on Iraq with a vigil at Truax Air National Guard Base on Saturday, March 20. The vigil will include people who will engage in nonviolent civil disobedience. Our intention is to make a strong statement of resistance against U.S. war and occupation in Iraq, and to draw attention to the large and growing numbers of dead and wounded on both sides of the conflict. We are planning this event in collaboration with groups around the country, as part of the Iraq Pledge of Resistance. For more information, see www.peacepledge.org/resist . If you would like to participate in the action, please join us on Tuesday, February 24 at 5:30 p.m. at the Madison Friends Meeting House, 1704 Roberts Court, just off Monroe Avenue on the near west side, near Camp Randall. This will be a training session for peacekeepers, legal observers, media contact volunteers, and people who are considering doing nonviolent civil disobedience at the vigil. Our intentions for the training are described more below. We consider attendance at this training a requirement for people who would like to risk arrest during the action. If you can, please RSVP to andrewlehto@hotmail.com or 249-4131 to let us know that you are coming, but you are welcome to just show up also. Please circulate this invitation to anyone who might want to attend. A flyer is attached for you to print out and share with others. Feel free to contact any of us with questions. Thank you. In peace and solidarity, Andrew Lehto, 249-4131 Bonita Sitter, 250-8805 Cassandra Dixon, 586-4447 Frank Paynter, 221-8309 Janet Parker, 249-4474 John Greenler, 873-0637 Joy First, 222-7581 Sister Marge Eilerman, meilermanosf@yahoo.com Kate Edwards, kroselark@aol.com "The purpose of training is for participants to form a common understanding of the use of nonviolence. It gives a forum to share ideas about nonviolence, oppression, fears and feelings. It allows people to meet and build solidarity with each other and provides an opportunity to form affinity groups. It is often used as preparation for action and gives people a chance to learn about an action, its tone and legal ramifications. It helps people to decide whether or not they will participate in an action. Through role playing, people learn what to expect from police, officials, other people in the action and themselves." -- Handbook for Nonviolent Action