Attention Austinites and those close by! The Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity, led by renowned Mexican poet Javier Sicilia, is taking part in an historic caravan from San Diego, California, to Washington D.C. in August and September 2012, and it will arrive in Austin on August 25th.
Sicilia, who lost his son in
drug-related violence in 2011, is traveling with over 100 family members who
have lost loved ones to violence in Mexico. Together, they are advocating for
an end to the bloodshed and for new government policies and reforms in both the
United States and Mexico that will help to combat violence.
WHAT: At
least 60,000 people have died in Mexico's drug war since 2006, as many as
10,000 have disappeared, and over 160,000 are internally displaced. During the
27 stops along the Caravan for Peace with Justice and Dignity
route, families of victims from Mexico will share their stories to highlight
the human costs of the war on drugs, while Sicilia and others will discuss
policy changes that can reduce drug-related violence. In Austin, Grupo Teocalli
Aztec Dancers will be opening the event, and local singer/songwriter Gina
Chavez and Kiko Villamizar Y Banda will perform on the south steps of
the State Capitol Building.
WHEN: Saturday,
August 25, 12:00PM - 3:00PM
WHERE: Texas
State Capitol Building, South Steps. Parking will be available at the Capitol Visitors Parking Garage at 1201 San Jacinto
Boulevard (between Trinity and San Jacinto Streets at 12th and 13th streets).
ORGANIZERS: Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, St. James' Episcopal
Church, Texas Fellowship of Reconciliation, Texas NORML, #Yo Soy 132 Austin, MORENA
Austin, Austin Tan Cerca de la Frontera, SOA Watch Austin, Austin Immigrant
Rights Coalition, Texans $mart On Crime, Austin NAACP, Texas NAACP, and many
volunteers
SPONSORS: Drug Policy
Alliance, Market Mail Print, Mi Sazón (Dallas), El Meson, Beanitos, La
Michaocana, El Milagro, Sam's Club, Randalls, Nokoa Newspaper, Z-Fashion
Jewelry, Loko Dok Computerz, Zona Urbana, CBella Hair Salon, St. Hildegard's
Community, Addixxion (band), Saucedo Brothers Boots, and Macho Prieto Toro
Mechanical
Read more about the Caravan here:
- Texas Tribune:
Caravan from
Mexico Seeks to Condemn US Drug Policy
- Your Valley
Voice: 'Fed Up!'
Mexican drug war survivors tour Texas
Read more about Javier Sicilia here and the Caravan route here, which includes Houston on August 26th
and 27th.
For more information about the Austin
event please contact:
Craig
Adair, 512-297-6611, cmadair@gmail.com or
Ana Yáñez-Correa,
512-587-7010, acorrea@CriminalJusticeCoalition.org
Jane Ehinmoro, 512-441-8123, ext. 110, jehinmoro@criminaljusticecoalition.org
Jane Ehinmoro, 512-441-8123, ext. 110, jehinmoro@criminaljusticecoalition.org
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5 comments:
Somebody needs to ask fed.gov why they supplied thousands of weapons to the Sinaola drug cartel much like Iran-Contra meme.
Let Mexico be a warning to all who want to disarm U.S. citizens! Mexicans cannot own firearms which makes them victims of any criminal. When the people of any country are disarmed it only takes a small number of armed criminals to turn the country into a killing field.
Mexico's drug violence is a glaring example of how a government cannot protect its citizens. If the people of Mexico could shoot back when the drug gangs start violence it would change how the gangs operated. The movie theater in Colorado was a free fire zone because concealed carry was legally prohibited. If one person would have been armed how different the outcome would have been. Even with body armor severe injury occurs distracting the shooter or causing him to retreat.
Guns in Texas and no in your face drug gang killings by the thousands. No guns in Mexico, except for the criminals, and tens of thousands killed by drug gangs. Do the math....
Im not understanding why they are wanting to change Texas laws,rules and regulations because of something happening in Mexico!!!!...sanctions and embargos i can understand,but they are acting like its everyone elses fault but their own...
Here's a clue, 8:21- Which country smokes, snorts, shoots the vast majority of those drugs that the cartels deliver? Maybe....us? So Mexicans have a legitimate beef with the US drug policies. 50 years of the "war on drugs", yet it was, is and will remain an abject failure that politicians on both sides will continue to throw billions into. Here's a thought- we tried Prohibition back in the 30's and that was an epic fail. HOw about we abandon a clearly failed approach, decriminalize drugs, and in an instant vaporize the wealth of the cartels. Was the US just awash in addicts before the Controlled Substances Act of 1935(maybe not exact year)? No, it wasn't. All criminalizing drugs has done is ruin millions of lives, stuff our prisons with non-violent offenders, and suck billions upon billions from our pockets. This is a sane drug policy?
And you probably never will if you can't understand how our policies empower the cartels.
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