From August 29th-Sept 2nd hundreds of thousands of people will gather in NYC to show their opposition to George W. Bush and the Republican National Convention. People will be coming from around the country to stand together in opposition to what this convention represents: war, the influence of corporate money in politics, disregard for human and animal rights, destruction of the environment and an out of control system based on exploitation and force. The eyes of the world will be on New York... and they will be seen through the eyes, lenses, and pens of 15,000+ members of the media at what will be some of the largest, most widely covered, and most intense protests in our nations history. This is an historic moment.  The Thomas Merton Center is organizing one-day buses to Sunday’s mass march and rally, called for by United for Peace and Justice. The buses will leave very early Sunday morning and return late at night. To sign up for the trip please call the Thomas Merton Center at 412-361-3022, email pgh_GJN@hotmail.com, or sign-up online at www.thomasmertoncenter.org/globaljustice

Ways you can help make the mobilization a success (besides getting on the bus :)

1: We need 2 bus captains for each bus to help make sure the trip runs smoothly. Captains would be responsible for checking off who’s on the bus before departure and that all of those people are present before we leave New York. This is the single biggest way you can help, interested parties should contact the TMC as soon as possible.

2: Sponsor an activist. There are many people who want to attend the protest but can’t because of the cost. We would like to be able to provide scholarships to those in need to ensure that everyone who wants to can be in NYC.

3: Help publicize the events and spread the word. There are numerous flyers available at our website for download and at the Thomas Merton Center for pickup.

4: If you aren’t going on the trip, you could be prepared to help make phone calls and round-up bail in case of unexpected police repression.