We're Not Done Fighting DC On This One! Make A Call Today. Keep Theihones Busy!

We have created an online button, linking back to the September 15th website -- http://www.sept15.org/, which we are encouraging all endorsers and supporters of the march to put on their respective websites, blogs, mySpace pages. The button is based off of the beautiful black-and-yellow design of the September 15th flyer and poster.

Our street outreach goal is to have such a presence that no one can walk more than two blocks without seeing a September 15th poster or receiving a September 15th flyer. We need the same kind of presence online, so that if you're surfing the internet for more than 15 minutes, you're going to see one of these yellow September 15th buttons.

We can make it happen, and it only takes a minute. Just copy the following HTML code into your page's source code:

Stop Government Attacks Against the Anti-War Movement!

Take Action to Defend Free Speech

In an unprecedented action, the ANSWER Coalition today received citations fining the organization $10,000 for the placement of posters announcing the September 15 March on Washington DC. The fines come after a campaign led by FOX news calling for the DC government to take action against those putting up posters for the September 15 demonstration.

They have told us that we have 72 hours to remove every poster, or the fines will go into effect. Tens of thousands of dollars in additional fines are expected in the coming days. Bush’s Interior Department is threatening similar actions against ANSWER. The September 15 posters are legal and conform to city regulations. We will not allow the government's intimidation tactics to slow our outreach or silence the antiwar movement.

We can stop this effort to repress the antiwar movement with your help.

This is part of a systematic effort to disrupt the organizing for the September 15 Mass March that is timed to coincide with the report of General Petraeus and the debate in Congress on the Iraq war.

Iraq war veterans and their families will lead this dramatic march from the White House to the Congress on September 15. The last thing the government wants is to see the streets of Washington DC fill up with throngs of anti-war protesters right in the middle of the debate. But we will not be stopped.

Organizing for this demonstration is taking place in cities and towns throughout the country. Buses and car caravans are coming from 90 cities and towns.

Please send a letter today to Washington DC Mayor (Adrian M. Fenty) and to the Director of DC Department of Public Works (William O. Howland, Jr.) demanding an end to the fines, harassment and repression of the anti-war movement. We have a right to publicize the September 15 March. Fining the anti-war movement tens of thousands of dollars for putting up Free Speech-protected literature makes a mockery out of the First Amendment.

Take Action!

The best way to take action is to call the Director of Department of Public Works, William O. Howland, Jr. at 202-673-6833, and the Mayor of DC, Adrian Fenty, at 202-724-8876. You can also send a letter or fax by clicking this link.

We'd suggest saying something along the lines of: "I am writing to protest the fines levied against the ANSWER Coalition for putting up posters for the September 15th March on Washington. The government does not fine politicians who put up campaign posters, or commercial and business interests that plaster Washington, DC with posters. It is outrageous that the city, in concert with FOXNews, are attempting to suppress the antiwar movement. Stop the harassment. Stop the fines."

Let us know how your phone conversations go by emailing us.


District threatens to fine anti-war group for posters

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Aug 15, 2007 3:00 AM (4 hrs ago) by Scott McCabe, The Examiner

(Michael Riccio/For the Examiner)Signs are pasted to the base of a lamp post near an intersection in Washington on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (Map, News) - The District of Columbia has threatened to fine an anti-war organization $10,000 for plastering signs around the city promoting a demonstration against America’s four-year war in Iraq. But organizers say the yellow-and-black posters conform to city regulations and the fines are politically motivated.

“Fining us for putting up free speech-protected literature makes a mockery of the First Amendment,” said Sarah Sloan of ANSWER, the anti-war organization leading the Sept. 15 march.

D.C. public works spokeswoman Linda Grant said the ANSWER workers used glue to post the flyers, posted the placards on traffic-control boxes and posted more than three fliers to a side of a block, all violations of the D.C. regulations.

“This is not an issue of content,” Grant said. “This is about trying to reach a balance of allowing people to use the lampposts versus keeping the city neat.”

ANSWER had 72 hours to remove every poster or the fines would go into effect, Grant said. But Sloan said the 64 notices the group received Monday cite the organization only for “posting on lampposts.” D.C. allows political signs to be affixed to lamp posts.

This is the first time in six years that her organization has been cited for sign posting, Sloan said. The fines are an attempt to repress next month’s demonstration, Sloan said, because the protest will coincide with the release of Gen. David Petraeus’ Iraq progress report.

“We really consider this to be a politically motivated decision,” Sloan said. “The last thing they want is tens of thousands of people hitting the streets saying the war was based on lies and the war should end immediately.”
smccabe@dcexaminer.com

District Cracks Down On Street Posters

WASHINGTON - UPDATED - Tuesday August 14, 2007 6:02 pm
The District is cracking down on posters and signs pasted on street lights and traffic boxes.

One of the Department of Public Works' biggest targets is The ANSWER Coalition.ANSWER spokeswoman Sarah Sloan said they received 64 citations on Monday, each with a $150 ticket attached.

Sloan said she knows more are on the way.

The group has 72 hours to take down the signs or pay nearly $10,000 in fines.Sloan called the actions "selective prosecution and it's political purposes.

"The group believes D.C. is trying to curry favor with the Bush Administration since many of the signs promote an upcoming anti-war march.William Howland with the Department of Public Works says Answer can post signs but cannot use adhesive that's hard to remove.

He also says the department will enforce the fines if the posters are not removed by Thursday.

Anti-War Protest Group Fined $10,000By Nathan Burchfiel CNSNews.com Staff Writer

August 14, 2007(CNSNews.com) - The anti-war activist group Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (ANSWER) faces a $10,000 fine from the city of Washington if it fails to remove thousands of fliers it has posted to advertise a September anti-war march."They have told us that we have 72 hours to remove every poster, or the fines will go into effect," the group said in a statement Tuesday.

"Tens of thousands of dollars in additional fines are expected in the coming days."The group accuses "Bush's Interior Department" of using "intimidation tactics to slow our outreach or silence" the antiwar movement.

"This is part of a systematic effort to disrupt the organizing for the September 15 Mass March that is timed to coincide with the report of General Patraeus and the debate in Congress on the Iraq War," the statement said, referring to a progress report set to be delivered by the commander of the Multi-National Force in Iraq.The group insists that its posters "are legal and conform to city regulations" and accuses Fox News of mounting a campaign to convince the D.C. government to fine the group.

The September 15 march on the White House and Congress kicks off a week of action against the war in Iraq. Protestors also are scheduled to demonstrate "in the halls, hearing rooms and offices of Congress" during the following week.A spokesman for the D.C. Department of Public Works, which ANSWER cites as the origin of the fines, was not immediately available for comment Tuesday.