East End Report: 06/29/2008

Sayville:

This Friday, July 4th, the Sayville Women In Black will be standing vigil at the corner of Main St. & Railroad Ave. from 4:00-5:00 p.m. A large presence might remind people on their way to BBQs and fireworks displays that there is still death and destruction going on in our name.

Southampton:

The annual July 4th parade in Southampton starts at about 10am from the area around the LIRR station and winds it way up Main Street to Jobs Lane. As usual the patriots who won the right to march in this event displaying their opposition to the Iraq war will march. Last year they won the right to exercise their First Ammendment rights after an action brought by the New York State ACLU on behalf of the East End Vets and other groups.

Look for groups with the banners of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the South Fork, Code Pink Long Island and the East End Vets.

Those who want to march with any of these groups should assemble south of the station by 9:30 am.

See you there!

Sag Harbor:

6 pm at the Whalers Church - reading of the Declaration of Independence and the preamble of the Constitution

from Spyglass by Maryann Callendrille in 27East.com (Southampton Press):

Sure, there’ll be the toasted marshmallows and sunburn (weather permitting) this Fourth of July. But over at the Whalers Church, something a bit more patriotic will be taking place between the beach and the barbecue. A diverse group of community members will participate in a reading of the Declaration of Independence and singing some favorite patriotic tunes.

The deacons of the First Presbyterian Old Whalers Church are sponsoring the program to honor the memory of 19-year-old Lance Corporal Jordan Haerter, who was killed this spring while serving in Iraq. Community members will take turns reading passages from the country’s great document, Lois Ross will provide piano accompaniment, and participants and audience members will also read in unison the Preamble to the Constitution.

Tickets to the event are $10, or $12 with an American flag pin. Children under 10 will be welcomed free of charge. Advance tickets are available at Canio’s Books, the Sag Harbor Garden Center or the church office on Thursday, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Stop the War Mall Tour - Update

Suffolk County Long Islanders opposed to the U.S. occupation of Iraq, took their protest to the Walt Whitman Mall in Huntington on Saturday. Peace activists, asserting their right to free speech as guaranteed by the First Amendment, carried on the action which began in Smith Haven Mall on March 29th, and which resulted in the arrest of an 80 year old man who refused to remove his anti-occupation T-shirt at the food court while eating and resting after the demonstration outside.

The Walt Whitman demonstration was proceeded by a walk around the inside of the mall by Long Islanders in their anti-occupation T-shirts which brought attention to the over 4,000 American soldiers who have lost their lives. The T-shirts stated, “ENOUGH!”

Protesters in and outside the mall, including members of East End Women In Black which has vigiled for peace twice monthly in Bridgehampton and Sag Harbor for almost 6 years, called for bringing home the troops; reallocating war funds for housing, jobs, healthcare, the environment and education; restoring Constitutional rights and human rights; and the implementation of a foreign policy based on the rule of law, justice, and human dignity. While there was a great deal of security, protesters were peaceful, did not disrupt shoppers, but hoped to get the local community to pay attention to what is being done in their name.

Summer 2008 Stop the War Long Island Mall Tour sponsored by the Suffolk Peace Network will continue July 26 in Roosevelt Field Mall, Westbury, Long Island.

filed by Sigrid Meinel for East End Report

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