Taking Peace to George W Bush


Now is the time for the peacemakers. Now is the time to be visible for peace.

A war criminal in a suit is coming to Canberra on 22 and 23 October 2003. His name is George W Bush, US President (unelected) and he will be addressing a joint session of the Australian Parliament.

His mission: to hijack Australian taxes and defence forces and deploy them in endless war in support of the resource piracy of the corporate super rich most of whom come from the USA.

What can a good man do? What can a good woman do?

Bear witness for peace. Be a light for peace. Speak up and speak out. Turn off the TV. Turn off the pay-to-say talk back radio jocks. Unplug from the corporate propaganda. Turn towards kindness. Make art with friends. Organise. Occupy public place. Join a rivulet and make it a mighty river.

Peacebus.com is doing all of the above hosting a civic reception that the Australian peace Movement will be offering President Bush when he comes to Canberra.

The Peace Reception will be conducted in two acts:

  • a Peace Lantern Vigil around the sacred fire at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy from 5 pm on the evening of Wednesday 22 October and

  • a Speak Out in front of the Parliament after President Bush has addressed the Parliament 11 am Thursday 23 October.

    Come join the peace camp. Come light a light for peace. Come hear the prophesies of the Burning Bush.

    Media Release 22 October 2003

    Peacebus.com in Canberra to greet Bush

    Peacebus.com will be in Canberra to bear witness for peace and justice when US President Bush comes to town to address the joint sitting of Parliament.

    Peacebus.com is a colourful travelling roadshow and its captain, Graeme Dunstan, is a veteran peace activist from Vietnam War days. (See www.peacebus.com/graeme/LBJ.html)

    Corralled behind a screen of 600 odd US security personnel plus federal police, Mr Dunstan does not expect to see the President or be seen by him.

    "President Bush is afraid to face the people," said Mr Dunstan. "Intend on hijacking Australian taxes and defence forces for his resource wars, Bush is coming to town like a pirate occupying a palace and demanding ransom."

    "His security intends to corral protesters but in fact it is the Parliament, our elected representatives and their staff who are being corralled by the US president," he said. "I know which side of the barricades freedom lies and it aint to be found standing beside GW Bush."

    Legendary for its artful occupations of public place, as for example the Independence from America Day celebration conducted last 4 July in Byron Bay (see www.peacebus.com/FourthJuly/), Peacebus.com will affirming the peace activist that gather with a lantern vigil and street theatre.

    A Peace Lantern Vigil around the sacred fire at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy from 5 pm on the evening of 22 October and a Speak Out in front of the Parliament after President Bush has addressed the Parliament 11 am Thursday 23 October.

    The Peace Lantern Vigil will be an opportunity for meditations and prayers for peace. It will gather around the sacred fire of Aboriginal Tent Embassy, seek the blessings of traditional owners, be led by local spiritual leaders of all faiths and be conducted largely in silence.

    The Speak Out will combine a cardboard effigy burning with performance poetry and freestyle rap. Fiery oratory is promised and participants will literally be hearing prophesies of a Burning Bush.

    The cardboard sculpture prepared by Mr Dunstan represents Bush and Howard Janus like rotating under a US flag in which the stars have been replaced by death heads and dollars signs to signify the corporate agenda of their war making.

    Gina Lakosta, performance poetry star of the Independence from America Day celebration in Byron Bay last 4 July (see www.peacebus.com/FourthJuly/, will be giving voice to the Burning Bush.

    Further information
    Graeme Dunstan 0415 843 751 graemedunstan@rainbowregion.com
    Gina Lakosta 02 6684 6996

    Media Release 16 October 2003

    Peace comes to Bush with Fiery Prophecies

    While US President George Bush is visiting Canberra seeking more commitment from the Australian government for his wars and hiding behind a security screen of 600 US personnel, Australian citizens will gather freely and fearlessly on the lawns of Parliament hill to bear witness for peace and to speak out for justice.

    A civic reception by the Australian peace movement, it will take place in two acts: a Peace Lantern Vigil around the sacred fire at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy from 5 pm on the evening of 22 October and

    a Speak Out in front of the Parliament after President Bush has addressed the Parliament 11 am Thursday 23 October.

    The Peace Lantern Vigil will be an opportunity for meditations and prayers for peace. It will gather around the sacred fire of Aboriginal Tent Embassy, seek the blessings of traditional owners, be led by local spiritual leaders of all faiths and be conducted largely in silence.

    The Speak Out will combine a cardboard effigy burning with performance poetry and freestyle rap. Fiery oratory is promised and participants will literally be hearing prophesies of a Burning Bush.

    Producer of the Bush peace reception is long time peace activist and itinerant lantern maker, Graeme Dunstan. Now 63 years old, he was one of the student protestors against whom NSW Premier Askin said "Run over the bastards!" when they stopped the motorcade of Lyndon Baines Johnson during his civic reception in Sydney in 1966. (See www.peacebus.com/graeme/LBJ.html)

    Mr Dunstan says he has no plans to become a speed bump when Mr Bush comes to Canberra but he is determined that truth and peace will have a voice while the US President is in town addressing the Parliament, telling more lies and hijacking more of Australiašs taxes and defence forces, to pursue his war agenda.

    "I want the peace movement to be represented peacefully and artfully, in quiet reflection and with fiery oratory," he said.

    A producer of many a mass lantern event (see www.peacebus.com/Eureka/), Mr Dunstan is urging citizens to come for sunset (5 pm) and to bring a lantern (a cut off 2 litre plastic milk bottle with candle held with Blutac will do) and join in prayers and meditation sessions to spread loving kindness to all people, all creatures, all beings. Even to the deluded and benighted such as President Bush.

    For the Speak Out he is calling to local Canberra poets and rappers to come share voice. Gina Lakosta poetry start of the Independence from America Day celebration in Byron Bay last 4 July (see www.peacebus.com/FourthJuly/) will be giving voice to the Burning Bush.

    For out of town visitors a peace camp will be formed in association with the Aboriginal Tent Embassy on the lawns in front of Old parliament House.

    Further Bush reception information
    www.actnow.canberra.net.au

    Contacts
    Graeme Dunstan 0415 843 751 graemedunstan@rainbowregion.com
    Gina Lakosta 02 6684 6996

    Police liaison correspondence:
    www.peacebus.com/BushVisit/BushVisitCorrespondence.html

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