The Peace Education Center and the Greater Lansing Network Against War and Injustice (GLNAWI) will mark the sorrowful, tragic milestone of the 1,000th U.S. troop death in Afghanistan. There will be two simultaneous peace vigils, one in East Lansing and one in Lansing, on the day after the 1,000th U.S. military death in Afghanistan.
After more than 8 years of occupation, American troop deaths have reached 991 as of Saturday, February 13, 2010. On Friday, the U.S. military announced a significant escalation of the conflict in southern Afghanistan.
Lansing-area residents and supporters of Peace are asked to join one of two vigils from 4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m. on the day after the 1,000th U.S. military death in Afghanistan.  Announcements and advance notice will be made through the peace organization’s email listserves and at the web sites, www.peaceedcenter.org and www. glnawi.org. Information updates will be posted on the Peace Education Center’s social media outlets on Twitter and Facebook, as well as GLNAWI’s Facebook page.
If the 1,000th U.S. military death in Afghanistan is announced by 7:30 pm on a weekday – Sunday evening through Thursday evening – vigils will be the next day at 4:30 p.m. at two sites:
- In LANSING, along the benches on Cedar Street at the I-496 corridor overpass.
- In EAST LANSING, on the median of Grand River Avenue at Abbot Road.
If the 1,000th U.S. military death in Afghanistan is on the weekend - Friday, Saturday, or Sunday – the vigils will be held on the following Monday at the two designated locations 4:30 p.m.
The Peace Education Center and GLNAWI have called this action to give Lansing-area residents an outlet to mourn the losses of U.S. troops, of NATO forces, and of the people of Afghanistan who lost their lives in war. Members and supporters of both organizations state emphatically that the costs of war are too great and it is time to stop endless wars.
These local vigils are part of a nationwide day of events marking the 1,000th U.S. Troop Death in Afghanistan, including actions called by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). More information on AFSC’s Afghanistan initiative can be obtained at www.afsc.org.
