For Immediate Release: October 10, 2002 Contact: Wendy Fuchsberg (631) 979-2413

Stony Brook Students Say, “NO WAR WITH IRAQ!”

Stony Brook, NY- On Wednesday, October 16, 2002 at 12:30 P.M., there will be a march and rally in opposition to the “pre-emptive” war on Iraq. This event is being organized by the Coalition Against War, a coalition of student groups at SUNY Stony Brook including Social Justice Alliance, Socialist Alternative, Students for Peace and Humanity, The Muslim Students Association, the Musicians Alliance for Peace, and the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance. The march will begin at Roth Pond at 12:30 and will terminate at the fountain in front of the Administration building, where students will congregate to oppose the Bush Administration’s proposed war on Iraq.

Among the issues to be addressed are the continuous bombing of Iraq for a decade, the effect of U.N. sanctions on the children of Iraq, and the Bush Administration’s new plan for “regime change” in Iraq. Speakers will include Father Simon Harak from Voices of the Wilderness, long time School of the America’s activist and WUSB radio personality Bill McNulty, Marya Abbas from the Muslim Students Association, William Wharton from Socialist Alternative, and Jackie Smith, a faculty member from the Sociology Department.

Organizers are expecting a large turnout. "Organizing the rally has involved talking with many people around campus. Many have expressed great skepticism about the reasons invoked by the Bush Administration, disagree with his unilateral approach, and fear the consequences of Bush's War on Iraq. Yesterday [Oct 9th] in just a couple of hours we gathered more than a hundred signatures from students, faculty and staff stating their opposition to the war. We expect a great turnout on Oct 16th," said Andre Levy, one of the organizers of the rally. Organizers are hoping to mobilize students to go to Washington D.C. on October 26th for the national rally to oppose the war on Iraq.

The list of endorsers and supporters of this event is steadily growing. As of now, endorsers of the event include the Political Science Department, The Sociology Department, The Association for Emeritus Professors, The Peace Studies Centre, The Protestant campus ministries, The Magazine Left Turn, and The New York City Social Forum.

For more information, please contact Wendy Fuchsberg or visit our website at http://www.sbcoalition.net/