'Color of War' tour comes to New York City

August 2, 2004

The Fellowship of Reconciliation, the nation's oldest anti-war organization, is bringing its 'Color of War' national speakers' tour to New York City on Monday, August 30th, 2004, during the Republican National Convention. The 'Color of War' looks at the impact of war – and the system that supports it – on poor people and people of color in the United States and globally.

As violence continues in Iraq, there is talk of sending tens of thousands more troops – and even of reinstating conscription. Even without a draft, aggressive military recruitment of poor and Third World youth has escalated. With a draft, as the Vietnam War demonstrated, poor people and people of color will inevitably be conscripted in far larger proportions than middle-class whites.

The war economy post 9/11 has already adversely affected communities of color and the poor. "The “hyper-militarization”  of the economy needed to support war dramatically affects spending priorities," said Ibrahim Ramey, disarmament coordinator at the Fellowship of Reconciliation and 'Color of War' organizer. "Our speakers will address the connection between current levels of military spending and the structural "disinvestment" in housing, health care, education, job formation and the environment.  Simply put, $1 billion spent in the defense industry generates far fewer jobs than the same $1 billion spent on housing, mass transit or health care."

He went on to state that “ our communities must be made aware that both major national political parties are pursuing the same policy of continuing massive Pentagon expenditures despite record budget deficits and growing poverty in the United States.”

'Color of War' in New York City:

When: 7 P.M., August 30th, 2004

Where:  St, Mary’s Episcopal Church, 521 West 126th Street ( Between Amsterdam Ave. and Broadway), Harlem, New York.

Speakers include:

• Nellie  Bailey, Harlem Tenants Council
• Mae Jackson, Community Organizer, Brooklyn, NY
• Greg Payton, Vietnam Veteran, War Resisters International
• Ibrahim Ramey, National Disarmament Program, Fellowship of Reconciliation

The 'Color of War' has held events in Camden, NJ,  Philadelphia, and Boston.  Future venues for the Color of War Tour are planned throughout the United States.

Contact:

Ibrahim Ramey:  Fellowship of Reconciliation (845) 358-4601 email: disarm@forusa.org

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