Fwd:

[Doug Henwood]

>Dear Friends:
>
>Like all of you, we are deeply concerned about the prospects of war 
>in Iraq. Especially with mounting popular opposition to that war, we 
>thought there might be special value at this point in a very simple 
>statement from American intellectuals (academics and nonacademics) 
>also declaring their opposition. Our hope is to get something into 
>the NYT quickly, during the week of Feb. 24, signed by as large and 
>ideologically diverse a group as we can put together between now and 
>then. Just to be clear: we don't mean anything fancy or specialized 
>by "intellectuals": if you feel comfortable signing on, then please 
>do.
>
>
>In its entirety, our proposed statement reads:
>
>
>Against the War
>
>Our government is proposing a war against Iraq in the name of 
>American national security. But no compelling evidence has been 
>offered of an imminent threat to our security that would justify the 
>use of military force. A war with Iraq will be a war of choice, not 
>necessity. We condemn the Iraqi regime for its gross and persistent 
>violations of the human rights of the Iraqi and Kurdish peoples, and 
>support efforts by the Iraqi opposition to create a democratic, 
>multiethnic and multireligious Iraq. But we believe that the 
>decision to wage war at this time is morally unacceptable, and urge 
>our government not to make it.
>
>
>
>We have raised the money (now around $55,000) to pay for it from 
>some 40 people -- including Robert Reich, Walter Gilbert, Louise 
>Trubek, David Trubek, Cal Bedient, Chuck Sabel, Elaine Scarry, Sam 
>Bowles, Fran Piven, Bruce Ackerman, Susanna Kaysen, Michael Piore 
>Bob Berwick, Seyla Benhabib, Mark Levinson, Adam Hochschild, Jorie 
>Graham, Peter Sacks, Dan Luria, Richard Falk, Martha Nussbaum, Susan 
>Okin, Nancy Kanwisher, and Jenny Mansbridge. What we need now is 
>your name and affiliation. If you are willing to provide them, 
>please go to:
>
>
>http://cows.ctsg.com/
>
>
>
>And then PLEASE forward this message to anyone you think might be 
>willing to sign it, and to any lists of people who would likely be 
>interested. We want to get all the signatures by Monday at 5:00.
>
>
>
>Many thanks,
>
>
>Joshua Cohen
>Goldberg Professor of Humanities, MIT; editor Boston Review
>
>Joel Rogers
>MacArthur Professor of Law, Political Science, and Sociology, 
>University of Wisconsin