FREE FILM SCREENING: Unmanned: America's Drone Wars

All readers are cordially invited to a FREE film screening of the 2013 Robert Greenwald-directed Brave New Films production, UNMANNED: AMERICA’S DRONE WARS. The screening will be followed by a public discussion.

When: Thursday, March 20, 2014, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Monroe County Public Library Auditorium
303 E. Kirkwood Avenue
Bloomington, IN 47408

"Unmanned is ESSENTIAL viewing." -Oliver Stone
"It's a POWERFUL movie that shakes you to your core." -Cenk Uygur

In his latest film, UNMANNED: AMERICA’S DRONE WARS, director Robert Greenwald examines the impact that U.S. drone strikes have at home and abroad. Through numerous interviews, including with a former American drone operator, Pakistani families mourning loved ones and seeking legal redress, investigative journalists, and top military officials warning against blowback from the loss of innocent life, the truth about U.S. drone warfare policy is revealed.

In never-before-seen footage from the tribal regions of Pakistan, drone strike survivors describe the brutal reality of drone attacks ordered during the Obama Administration. The film highlights the personal stories of Pakistanis impacted by U.S. drone policy, showing how delicate life can be in this war where no one is accepting responsibility for the casualties.

UNMANNED reveals that covert U.S. military actions are often imprecise and result in creating more enemies for the American people, who have little knowledge of how drone targets are set or why these extrajudicial killings are carried out.

See film preview and more about UNMANNED at:
http://unmanned.warcosts.com/unmanned_about 

The March 20th free film screening and discussion is sponsored by Bloomington Peace Action Coalition.

To learn more about this year's Spring Days of Action against Drones and post your own events, CLICK HERE.

Peace Vigil in Bloomington Courthouse Square Elicits Shouts of Approval from Passersby

Members of the Bloomington Peace Action Coalition braved cold temperatures to come out to the Bloomington Courthouse Square last Wednesday and demonstrate against the state-sponsored terrorism that is U.S. drone killing and imperialism. 

"WAR IS TERRORISM"

Timothy Baer of BPAC reported: "Today, our message was mostly well-received by motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians who gave us thumbs-up, peace signs, nodding heads, or shouts of affirmation. "

Timothy reports plans for more demonstrations in the very near future as part of the Spring Days of Action against drone warfare and surveillance.

Join BPAC and other groups and individuals around the country who plan to speak out this spring against drone killing. CLICK HERE to learn more about the Spring Days of Action.!

Peace Vigil: War Is Terrorism! End U.S. Drone Warfare- Stop all Drone Strikes!

Join the Bloomington Peace Action Coalition this Wednesday, March 5, 2014 from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. in
Monroe County Courthouse Square on the Corner of Kirkwood Ave. and Walnut Street in Bloomington, IN for our monthly vigil against drone killing.

Monroe County Courthouse in Bloomington

We'll have signs, banners, and literature. Feel free to bring your own message. Bundle up and participate for Peace!

CLICK HERE to learn about the upcoming nationwide Spring Days of Action against drone warfare and surveillance!

Fly Kites, Not Drones

Kite-flying has long been synonymous for many with the spirit of Afghanistan, as a popular pastime that was banned under Taliban rule. This March, join Indiana Peace and Voices for Creative Nonviolence to Fly Kites, Not Drones in protest against U.S. drone killing. The events will take place on March 22nd and 23rd and will be a part of the 2014 Spring Days of Action Against Drones. 

For more information about Fly Kites, Not Drones, contact nodrones_indiana@comcast.net

CLICK HERE  for more information about the nationwide Spring Days of Action!

Last Rites for America: Dave Lambert and Terry Doran discuss the decline of the U.S. empire

Indiana activists Dave Lambert and Tim Tiernan spent an hour last week discussing the decline of the U.S. economy, the rise of inequality, and increasing imperialist overreach as exemplified by drone warfare. They did so with Terry Doran, for his show Theatre for Ideas on local public access TV.

Related themes explored at length in this stimulating and erudite discussion were the overwhelming power of money in politics, the decline of real democracy in America, and the genocide committed against indigenous peoples of North America. You can watch the interview here.

Lambert also had some help from the late, great George Carlin in articulating some of these points

April Days of Action Against Drones in INDIANA

Numerous Indiana events are part of the nationwide April Days of Action Against Drones.

On March 26, 2013, as part of the Indiana State University Human Rights Day observance, Robert Naiman gave a presentation entitled ""From Pakistan to Terre Haute: we can do something about the drone strike policy." Robert Naiman is Policy Director at Just Foreign Policy. Mr. Naiman edits the Just Foreign Policy news summary and writes on U.S. foreign policy at Huffington Post. He is President of the Board of Truthout. (Details on the Indiana State University 2013 Human Rights Day page.)



OTHER UPCOMING INDIANA EVENTS

FT. WAYNE - Thursday, April 4, 2013 - - We will hold a protest at the gate of BAE Systems (formerly GE), 2000 Taylor Street. BAE is one of the larger companies that produce parts fo Predator and Reaper drones, the same one that have been killing innocent women, men and children in Pakistan, and other places. In addition to producing a range of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for war zones, it now is adapting the military-style planes for a consortium of government agencies (police departments, FBI. homeland security, etc) so they will be able to keep an eye on us from above. (There is parking on Taylor Street, as well as Electric Street, a short street running South off of Taylor, across from the BAE gates.)

(Add additional Indiana events to the master list of national April Days of Action actions.)

What about YOU? Become part of the Indiana Drones Project!

Read about ALL the ways YOU can be involved 

in the April Days of Action Against Drones!

Nationwide April Days of Action against Drones: Demonstration at BAE Systems Plant Provokes Counter-Protest

The local chapter of Veterans for Peace showed up yesterday at the plant of BAE Systems, a corporation guilty of the production of drones that are kiling civilians in Afghanistan. This event was an important part of the April Days of Action Against Drones, a series of anti-drone protests taking place this month in communities nationwide.

For Indianans taking part in the demonstration, the use of drones by the U.S. military had a local dimension beyond the presence of BAE Systems: "It's a sad irony that April 4 is also the second anniversary when two United States servicemen, Benjamin Rast, of South Bend, and Jeremy Smith, of Arlington, Texas, were both killed by a U.S. Predator Drone in Afghanistan," said Dave Lambert, organizer of the protest and member of Veterans for Peace. The event received coverage on local mainstream media. 

The demonstration provoked a response from BAE, which sent out 8 union workers to picket a few feet away with signs that read "BAE Systems: We Protect Those who Protect Us."

BAE worker and anti-drone protester standing side-by-side in front of
BAE's Fort Wayne plant.  To date, this is the first substantive response seen
 by a manufacturer to the charges made by the anti-drone movement.

see the full story here

GET INVOLVED IN YOUR STATE!