By Madison for a World BEYOND War, February 15, 2024
On Valentine’s Day, Madison for a World BEYOND War put love into action during a vigil, walk and fast to call on our government to stop supporting the genocide in Gaza, and to stop supporting all war, which is organized mass murder. The event was part of a week of actions around the state organized by the 60-member Wisconsin Coalition for Justice in Palestine, against U.S. funding to Israel and U.S. aggression in the region.
The event began with a vigil with musical performances and valentine-making inside Senator Tammy Baldwin’s office, to ask the senator to reverse her course of voting for weapons to be sent around the world, and work to reinstate UNRWA funding for Gaza. Twenty people participated in the vigil, then together they did a war abolition walk with World BEYOND War and ceasefire signs to the UW-Madison campus. There on Library Mall, they distributed flyers and invited pedestrians to sign valentines asking Senator Tammy Baldwin. Many students who want the Gaza genocide to end stopped to sign cards. The group walked back to Baldwin’s office and delivered about 75 valentines to her staff, calling on her to stop her complicity in genocide.
“I remember Tammy Baldwin saying in November that she was heartbroken about the situation in Israel and Palestine,” explained Janet Parker of Madison for a World BEYOND War. “Today, Valentine’s Day, I’m going to Senator Baldwin’s office to ask why she voted for another $14 billion dollars of weapons for Netanyahu’s assault on Gaza. 28,000 Palestinians have been killed, 18,000 of them women and children. 378,000 people in Gaza are starving right now. Heartbroken is not nearly enough.”
The group called on Tammy Baldwin to join Senators Welch, Merkley, Sanders, and Ron Johnson who voted no to sending weapons around the world. On Tuesday, Madison journalist John Nichols wrote this article about the Democrats who voted no, “I Will Be Damned if I’m Going to Give Another Nickel to the Netanyahu Government.”
Background: On Tuesday, the Senate approved $95 billion more for weapons to kill people in Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan. Bernie Sanders and 26 Republicans, including Ron Johnson, voted no. Tammy Baldwin voted yes. Next the bill will come before the House.
From Bernie Sanders – “The United States, whether we like it or not, is deeply complicit in what is going on in Gaza right now: Those are our weapons that are killing children in huge numbers, that are destroying homes in huge numbers.” … “This bill provides $10 billion dollars more in U.S. military aid for the Netanyahu government to continue its horrific war against the Palestinian people. That is unconscionable. That is why I will be voting NO.”
This was the announcement of this event as published by Isthmus:
On Valentine’s Day, Madison for a World BEYOND War will put love into action during a vigil, walk and fast to call on our government to stop supporting the genocide in Gaza, and to stop supporting all war, which is organized mass murder. This week the Wisconsin Coalition for Justice in Palestine is holding actions around the state against US funding to Israel and US aggression in the region.
Weds, Feb 14 – Valentine’s Day Vigil, Walk & Fast – Stop Sending Weapons Around the World & Reinstate UNRWA Funding
12 noon – 30 W Mifflin St, 7th floor – Vigil inside Senator Tammy Baldwin’s office – activists will present a painting made for Senator Baldwin, Sergey Levitskiy will perform pro-peace songs, and the group will make antiwar valentines for Senators Baldwin and Johnson, and Rep Pocan.
12:30 pm – War Abolition Walk with banners and signs from 30 W Mifflin St to Library Mall.
1:00 pm – Vigil at Library Mall offering valentines for people to sign.
1:45 – War Abolition Walk back to Baldwin’s office to deliver more valentines at 2 pm.
“I remember Tammy Baldwin saying in November that she was heartbroken about the situation in Israel and Palestine,” explained Janet Parker of Madison for a World BEYOND War. “Today, Valentines Day, I’m going to Senator Baldwin’s office to ask why she voted for another $14 billion dollars of weapons for Netanyahu’s assault on Gaza. 28,000 Palestinians have been killed, 18,000 of them women and children. 378,000 people in Gaza are starving right now. Heartbroken is not nearly enough.”
Background: Yesterday, the Senate approved $95 billion more for weapons to Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan. Senators Bernie Sanders, Peter Welch, and Jeff Merkley voted no, and so did 26 Republican senators, including Ron Johnson. Tammy Baldwin voted yes. Next the bill will come before the House.
See this article yesterday by John Nichols, “I Will Be Damned if I’m Going to Give Another Nickel to the Netanyahu Government.”
From Bernie Sanders – “Netanyahu is starving hundreds of thousands of children. We cannot be complicit in this atrocity.” …”The United States, whether we like it or not, is deeply complicit in what is going on in Gaza right now: Those are our weapons that are killing children in huge numbers, that are destroying homes in huge numbers.” … “This bill provides $10 billion dollars more in U.S. military aid for the Netanyahu government to continue its horrific war against the Palestinian people. That is unconscionable. That is why I will be voting NO.”
4 Responses
No more dollars or weapons for Netanyahu! He’s been trying to get rid of Palestinians for yrs!
FULL support !! Our dollars have massacred enough children & parents in GAZA !!!!
Enough, enough, ENOUGH
When will the world’s people grow tired of the wars and hate that the world’s leaders force on us. Are we not sick of these continuous and endless wars?
I believe the people of the world would like to try PEACE AND LOVE for a change. NO MORE WAR
Why the fuck not?
Is this a war mongers site?
I demand an explanation