P.O. Box 81, Swarthmore, PA, 19081-- brandywine@juno.com (610) 544-1818

TUESDAY, January 2 at 5PM, in order to mark the 3000th American soldier killed in the Iraq war, people gathered at the west side of Phila. City Hall, 15th & Market Streets, for a solemn sundown candlelight vigil with bell-tolling for all the war dead and reading of many of their names - U.S. and Iraqi.

Kudos and appreciation for all those who vigiled at Phila. City Hall and participated in last night's  Solemn Candlelight Vigil & Bell- Tolling for Peace & All the War Dead.  Your candles, and your peace burned bright, making the vigil one of the largest demonstrations in the area since the beginning of the Iraq War and since we began marking of the horrific milestones of the U.S. and Iraqi death toll. 

A gorgeous photo spread appeared in the front section of the Phila. Inquirer.  A photo was on the front page of SEPTA's Metro paper.  And every TV station covered and reported on the vigil - Channel 17, 29, 3,10, and 6, which gave it a lengthy segment.

Many thanks to each of the area groups that co-sponsored and were represented at the vigil: American Friends Service Committee; Catholic Peace Fellowship; Delaware Valley Veterans for America; Granny Peace Brigade Phila.; Military Families Speak Out; Philly Delaware River Area Code Pink; PRAWN; Veterans for Peace, Chapter 31.


We also congradulate all those who over the past couple days held related vigils in Chester County (the Chester County Peace Movement); Media and Springfield, Delaware County (Providence Friends Meeting, Delaware County Wage Peace & Justice, and Delaware/Chester Co. Coalition for Peace Action)

Along with the 3000+ U.S. war dead, we must remember the un- imaginable number of (recent estimates place the figure at 650,000) Iraqis killed in this war.

A suggestion to continue the memorial: Why not make a black arm-band with "3000+" printed in white on it?!? Wear it throughout this month of January '07 as we demand "Shut Down GUANTANAMO" (see below), as we go to Lockheed Martin (the world's largest weapons corporation and the Iraq war's chief profiteer) for the Martin Luther King Day of Nonviolent Resistance (see below), as we travel to Washington, DC on January 27,  as we continue our works of justice and peace, and move around in our daily lives.

Website resources: www.unitedforpeac.org; www.afsc.org

Photo courtesy James Vandegrift. See more of his photos at: http://www.photoreflect.com/scripts/prsm.dll?storefront?b=1&c=0D4W