PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Kissinger in Pittsburgh Oct. 5
by PJD Saturday, Aug. 28, 2004 at 11:28 AM
pjdonahue@libcom.com

Dr. Henry Maciavelli Kissinger is coming to Pittsburgh! This is a call for a Letter/e-mail camapign to RMU, and protest at Heinz Hall regarding Kissinger's speaking visit on Oct. 5

Dr. Kissinger represents the worst of US foreign policy over the past 40 years. His legacy continues in Iraq, Haiti and other places to this day. He cannot even travel to some democratic countries due to standing indcitments against him for crimes against humanity. And yet, Robert Morris University has invited Dr. Kissinger to speak at Heinz Hall the evening of October 5. May I suggest a couple actions:

1. Send letters and e-mails (letters are much better) protesting his invitation, and requesting he be disinvited, to:

Mark D. Weinstein, M.S.
Director, Public Relations & Enrollment Marketing
Massey Hall 1st
Robert Morris University
6001 University Boulevard
Moon Township, PA 15108
412-262-8650 phone
412-262-8571 fax
weinstein@RMU.edu

2. I will start organizing a protest. I will announce a date and time for a kickoff meeting shortly in the calender (and the TMC calender)

For background, I have included the text of the letter I e-mailed today and will hard-mail below:

Dear Mr. Weinstein:

I strongly urge you to reconsider inviting Henry Kissinger to speak on October 5, 2004. You must be aware of Dr. Kissinger's role as key proponent of the most murderous, shameful acts in acts in US history. These have included the following:

1. The secret bombing of Cambodia and Laos, which is believed to have killed approximately one million persons, nearly all of them noncombatants, many of them children.

2. His well-documented complicity in the overthrow and murder of the democratically elected President Salvador Allende, on September 11, 1973, and his full support, through CIA operations, of the dictator Agusto Pinochet who executed the coup. Under Pinochet, thousands were killed and disappeared for speaking out against the coup. Of this incident it is documented that Kissinger expressed his cynical disregard for democracy by stating: ""I don't see why we should have to stand by and let a country go communist due to the irresponsibility of its own people?".

3. His support for Operation Condor, a CIA-supported Chilean operation to assassinate Pinochet's democratic exiled political opponents in North America and Europe. Successful assassinations included the car bombing assassination of Orlando Letelier and Ronni Moffitt in Washington D.C., the murder of Chilean General Carlos Prats and his wife in Buenos Aires, 1975, and the serious wounding of Christian Democratic opposition leader Bernardo Leighton and his wife in Rome.

4. And finally, recent documents showing his support of the Argentine military junta's "Dirty War" of 1976. This even-bloodier operation killed and "disappeared" up to 30,000 people, most for simply speaking out in dissent. The Madres de Plaza de Mayo still meet in this plaza to commemorate their disappeared and still unaccounted sons and daughters. I refer you to a recent news story here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1292614,00.html.

These charges against Dr. Kissinger are not obscure conspiracy theorizing, but are backed by numerous documents released by the US under FOIA and in Chile under their Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Kissinger himself has been unable to travel to many democracies in the world, such as Spain, because of standing indictments against him. I'm sure you have heard of the Chilean Supreme Court's recent removal of Pinochet's immunity to prosecution for Operation Condor and other crimes. Because of this, we may be hearing more about Kissinger in the near future.

Considering the above incriminating facts and the fact that Dr. Kissinger refuses to reply to questions regarding these issues in previous speaking engagements, I implore you to remove your invitation for Dr. Kissinger to speak.

Please understand that if Kissinger does speak, I intend to work hard to assure that Pittsburgh residents will be present at Heinz Hall in numbers, to peacefully but loudly and forcefully to:

1. Protest the cynical, murderous US foreign policy which Kissinger has devoted much of his life to prosecuting, which continues today with the brutal military occupation and war in Iraq; and,

2. Demand that Kissinger be brought to justice to answer for, or express regret and penitence for, his crimes.

Sincerely, etc.

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I'm interested in helping organize this!
by Ken Saturday, Aug. 28, 2004 at 4:53 PM
k_jae_91@yahoo.com

hey thanks for the tip-off regarding Kissinger's upcoming visit. I know very well what this pig is responsible for and would love to help if you need any in organizing a protest/action of some sort for this criminal. Let me know what you need

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kissinger is a pig
by jan Wednesday, Sep. 01, 2004 at 12:48 PM

I hate Henry Kissinger. Let's show him he is NOT welcome here. We should dress up like bloody victims. We'll dump ketchup all over ourselves to represent the bloodbaths of Cambodia, Laos, Argentina, Chile, etc that he has caused.
Let's do it.

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Working on it
by PJD Wednesday, Sep. 01, 2004 at 7:19 PM
pjdonahue@libcom.com

I'd like to get the antiwar comittee's help on this. Probably make it a sidewalk action; no permit needed. The main purpose will be to remind and/or educate the people attending his speech of K.'s atrocities. So, the first thing will be to get somer good leaflets/handbills together. Also flyers. Anyone with the skills can start on some designs now.

I assume this will _not_ be like the Netanyahu visit - with that phalanx of cops with 5 ft batons, and we will be able to politely leaflet the atendees.

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Informal Kick-Off Meeting
by PJD Tuesday, Sep. 07, 2004 at 6:46 PM
pjdonahue@libcom.com 412-681-4408

OK, I'd like to start an informal kick-off meeting. We'll Gather at Kiva Han (Corner of Craig and Forbes) at 7:00 PM Thursday, Sept 9.

I'll probably bring the event up at the next TMC AWC (4:00 on Sept 19 at the TMC) for some extra support.

Everyone interested please come.

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...
by ... Wednesday, Sep. 08, 2004 at 6:31 AM

PJD,

I would make a seperate post with this info about the meeting, and in that include the info you previously did on why it's important to protest the man.

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