Anti-War Conference Scheduled for this Weekend

The Thomas Merton Center Anti-War Committee will host a national conference this weekend (7/10-7/12) at La Roche College in the North Hills. The conference will focus on growing the coalition of anti-war and social justice activists from across the country. Participants will discuss resolutions for ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and plan protests for the upcoming G20 summit in Pittsburgh. Pete Shell of the Thomas Merton Center says they plan to march during the conference with like-minded groups from around the country. There will also be a "People's Summit" leading up to the event on September 21 and 22 to provide a public forum for speakers to voice their concerns with the G20's policies. Specifically, Shell says they take issue with the G20's economic policies which they believe have lead to the financial crisis and perpetuation of wars in the middle east. He says the money spent on combat should go to important causes like health car, jobs and clean energy.