State Capitol ‘Rally for Peace’ scheduled for Friday, August 28
Published: August 26th, 2015
OKLAHOMA CITY – The organization Americans Against The Next War (AANW) has announced a public “Rally for Peace” will be held on Friday, August 28 from 6:30-8 p.m. The rally will take place at the State Capitol South Steps Plaza in Oklahoma City. The event is being held in support of the “Iran & P5+1 Nuclear Agreement.”
“Our purpose is to show support for the Iran agreement with the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, and Germany,” said Hal Spake, member of AANW. “Those nations are China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, and the USA, plus Germany.”
Spake is a former US diplomat with 22 years of Foreign Service in nine nations.
“The entire United Nations Security Council voted unanimously on July 20 to support the agreement,” Spake added. “The agreement drastically reduces all of Iran’s nuclear programs, particularly Iran’s capacity to produce material that could be used in a nuclear weapon.”
From 6:30-7 p.m., the rally will be launched with live music by Nashville folksinger Dana Cooper, recipient of the 2015 International Folk Alliance Award. Cooper has performed on Austin City Limits, Mountain Stage and at the Kerrville Folk Festival.
From 7 to 8 p.m., prominent Oklahoman’s will speak in favor of the Iran agreement, which Congress is slated to approve or disapprove by a vote in September.
Speakers at the rally will include Democratic State Representatives Emily Virgin of Norman, George Young of Oklahoma City and Jerry McPeak of Oklahomas district 13, as well as State Sen. Anastasia Pittman of Oklahoma City and former State Senator Constance Johnson.
Also speaking will be the Reverends Mark Davies and Christine Byrd, President of the Oklahoma City UN Association Priya Desai, and former candidate for U.S. Senate Matt Silverstein. Light refreshments will be provided, organizers said.
Peace House director, Nathaniel Batchelder said that the agreement ushers in a new era of better relations with Iran and the world.
“Verification of the terms of the agreement is being carried out or managed by inspectors from the IAEA, the International Atomic Energy Agency of the United Nations,” Batchelder added.
“Congress must now vote on whether to support this agreement or revert to no agreement, and to confrontation, as most likely to ensure peaceful relations between Iran and the world,” Batchelder said.
The event is co-sponsored by The Peace House, United Nations Association Oklahoma City Chapter (OKC-UNA), New Life Baptist Church, The Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City (ISGOC), Oklahoma State University Iranian Student Association, KVOY Radio and Mayflower Congregational Church.
AANW is a coalition of central Oklahoma organizations and individuals working for diplomatic and nonmilitary solutions to world situations where US interests are at stake.
For more information, Nathaniel Batchelder welcomes telephone calls at 405-824-2794 or visit www.facebook.com/AmericansAgainstTheNextWar.