Anti-war rally to be held at Oklahoma State Capitol 7 p.m. Friday, July 12, 2013

[Tony Nuspl]

June 19, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                

Contact: State Rep. Paul Wesselhöft

Office: [phone]

Syria : NOT OUR WAR ! Non-Partisan Peace Rally

Anti-war Demonstration to be held at Oklahoma State Capitol

OKLAHOMA CITY – A state Representative will lead an anti-war rally on the south steps of the Oklahoma State Capitol at 7 p.m. Friday, July 12. The public is invited.

The rally’s theme is “Syria is Not Our War!” and will reflect the views of those who oppose U.S. intervention in the Syrian civil war, state Rep. Paul Wesselhöft said.

“The U.S. has no political or moral obligation to intervene in Syria’s intractable civil war. It’s none of our business,” said Wesselhöft, R-Moore. “Our involvement in shipping arms to the Syrian rebels commits us to a proxy war with Russia. This is not good, not wise, not acceptable, so we object.”

Wesselhöft said the rally will be bipartisan in nature. Musical entertainment will precede the speakers from 6-7 p.m. There will be co-sponsors representing both the left and right political spectrum. Each spectrum will be given equal time, he said. Wesselhöft hopes the Oklahoma rally will spark similar events in other state capitols and Washington, D.C.

“I was working on a significant project this summer and did not want to lead an anti-war rally,” he said. “I was hoping the President would not involve America in another country’s civil war, but we are now arming the rebels.

This rally will be a single-issue event on U.S. involvement in the Syrian civil war.  It will not be about other issues supported or opposed by the President. We will be united, regardless of political party, in one clear message to our government: ‘Syria is NOT OUR WAR!’”

 

[Tony Nuspl]

Amateur video from yesterday's anti-war demonstration in OKC is available on UStream:  http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/35733401
(turn up the volume) No rush transcript available.
Including full-length coverage of the speeches made by state Rep. Paul Wesselhoft, R-Moore, an organizer of the rally, and Nathaniel Batchelder, director of the Peace House in Oklahoma City.

“We have no political or moral obligation to intervene in another nation's civil war,” said Wesselhoft. “We have spilled enough American blood in the desert sand,” Wesselhoft said. “This civil war is not our business.”

Attendees at the OKC event, held almost 100-degree heat, were asked to sign petitions asking Oklahoma's congressional delegation to support two bills, HR 2495 and S 1201, which would prohibit the president from intervening militarily in Syria without explicit congressional authorization.

Mainstream media coverage:

 

Rally at Oklahoma Capitol opposes U.S. intervention in Syria

About 200 Democrats, Republicans and Libertarians, conservatives and liberals, hawks and doves show their opposition to U.S. intervention in the Syrian civil war in a nonpartisan rally at the Oklahoma Capitol on Friday in Oklahoma City.

 

By Michael McNutt Published: July 13, 2013

http://newsok.com/article/3861879

[Tony Nuspl]

Radio mention of today's event: http://kosu.org/2013/07/bipartisan-anti-war-rally-planned-for-state...