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Mission and Activities

The Chelsea Area Network of Peace Activists and Supporters (C.A.N.O.P.A.S.), an informal network of people from the area of Chelsea, Michigan, promotes peace in the world through a variety of political and educational activities. We hold a range of perspectives regarding the legitimacy and necessity of war, yet remain committed to non-violent resolution of conflict. We agree with Supreme Court Justice Jackson, who wrote during the Nuremberg Trials that "War is utterly renounced and condemned as an instrument of policy." We believe that principles of non-violent conflict resolution have been ignored at the highest levels of government, and that it is our patriotic duty to raise questions about policies that lead our country to the ultimate human failure: war.

CANOPAS holds demonstrations, runs advertisements in the local paper, promotes letter writing, staffs peace-information tables at public events, and generally supports its members during this difficult time for people concerned for peace and justice in the world.

After urgings in the community by Gary Maveal and Raj Rajan to put Martin Luther King's peace teachings into practice, CANOPAS held its first peace demonstration on New Year's Day, 2003. The group has continued to demonstrate every Sunday since then, and has branched out to other activities as well.

Peace Demonstrations

CANOPAS meets every Sunday from 12 noon to 1 pm, with signs, banners, flags, and sometimes music, in front of the Chelsea Post Office at the corner of Main and South Streets. People also use these gatherings to share news, to discuss plans, and to present inspirational and educational readings.

Wall of Names

Those of you who have missed our recent Sunday demonstrations outside of the Post Office have also missed the very impressive "Wall of Names" that has become our most visible feature. As of October, 2004, it lists the more than 1000 names of the U. S. soldiers who have died in Iraq on 19 tri-fold display boards. It was created by Elizabeth Hammer with some help from Cathy Muha, Lynn Meadows, Suzy Morse, and others, and Elizabeth has kept it up to date weekly. The first red panel of the display contains the names of the 30 Michigan soldiers who have died, the next 2 1/2 yellow panels contain the names of the 135 who had died at the time the war was declared won. The next 12 white panels contain the names of those who died between the "liberation" and the end of the occupation. Two and a half more panels show the names of those who have died since. The final red panel recognizes the deaths of the more than 11,000 Iraqi civilians who have also died. Coalition forces have not been included. To accompany the panels, Elizabeth has also prepared a loose-leaf binder listing in fine print all of the soldiers names, ages, home towns, etc. Along with it is another, very sobering loose-leaf binder about three inches thick that would contain the names of the Iraqis killed if we knew them.

Here is the Wall of Names on display at the Ann Arbor Federal Building.

Patriots of the Week

Letters to the Editor and Elected Officials

CANOPAS members have had many letters to the editor published in the Chelsea Standard and other local papers. Please continue this educational activity by putting your thoughts into writing and emailing them to the Standard. Mail them to our elected officials as well.

Peace Information Tables

CANOPAS has had a monthly table at the Saturday morning Chelsea Farmer's Markets, and is ready to staff a table at other events as well. We have a variety of leaflets and papers to give out, as well as buttons and bumper stickers. Our engagement with the public in this venue has been very positive. Please contact Kathie Gourlay if you have suggestions for events and if you would like to help staff the table.

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