Tuesday, July 10, 2007

An Invitation Rogers Probably Will Refuse

This could turn into a long, hot summer for U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers. The Brighton Republican remains a firm supporter of the war in Iraq, which is opposed by more and more Americans everyday, but this summer a national coalition is turning up the heat on Rogers.

Americans Against Escalation in Iraq already has held one event at Rogers' Lansing office, and has another one planned this week.

On Thursday (July 12, 2007), Americans Against Escalation in Iraq will visit Rogers' office (1327 E. Michigan Avenue, Lansing) to present him a special invitation. Jake Coffey, field organizer for the coalition, said Rogers will be invited to an Aug. 28 Take a Stand rally at the state Capitol where he will have a opportunity to take a stand for or against the escalation in Iraq.

Rogers, however, has been unusually publicity shy this summer, failing to show up for the Brighton 4th of July parade.

Coffey says the group plans an event every week leading up to Aug. 28. In preparation for the rest of the summer, Coffey and field organizer Michael Webb will hold an organizing committee meeting tonight at 5:30 p.m. at Gone Wired Cafe, 2021 E. Michigan Avenue, Lansing.

On the agenda are items such as building a volunteer base (especially outside of Ingham County) with email lists and outreach; finding a more permanent office space and meeting area; a canvassing event in Brighton on Saturday or Sunday; working more closely with the City Council Resolution Project; and brainstorming on weekly press events.

Coffey and Webb are part of a national campaign that includes veterans, students, some of the nation's leading anti-war voices, and progressive organizations which traditionally confine their activity to domestic issues. The coalition includes the Service Employees International Union, MoveOn.org Political Action, VoteVets.org, Center for American Progress Action Fund, USAction, Win Without War, Campaign for America's Future, the United States Student Association, Working Assets, Americans United for Change and Campus Progress Action.

The approach was inspired by the Mississippi Summer of 1964 and the later Vietnam Summers. Coffee said the approach "can transform the political climate and shift our current administration's policy of endless war. We are on the ground building momentum and putting pressure on key Republican districts to help bring a responsible end to the war. In Michigan we have twelve organizers and two field directors and we're targeting five Republican congressmen (Rogers, Ehlers, Upton, McCotter, and Knollenberg)."

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