Sunday, January 11, 2009

Camp Hope

By Ben Trott

Camp Hope has been running in Hyde Park, Chicago, from January 1 and will continue until Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 19, the day before Obama's inauguration.

The goal of the camp is to maintain left/progressive pressure on the president-elect, including asking him to live up to his campaign promises.

A statement on the Camp's website reads,
Camp Hope - Countdown to Change

In January, 2009, Barack Obama will be inaugurated as president of the United States. We earnestly hope his presidency will signal the dawning of long-needed progressive change in the United States. To help build popular momentum behind the progressive goals of President Obama’s campaign, we invite you to join us in maintaining a 19-day presence, from January 1 – 19, 2009, in Hyde Park, Chicago: "Camp Hope: Countdown To Change."

Every day from New Years’ to Dr. Martin Luther King Day, whatever winter has in store for us, we will set up at the intersection of East Hyde Park Boulevard and South Drexel Avenue to congratulate Senator Obama as our new President-elect and recommit ourselves to progressive actions he promoted on his campaign trail. We are urging President-elect Obama to take eight actions immediately upon being sworn into office, and reminding ourselves that these are only eight early steps to more profound policy changes.

Camp Hope seeks action on:

War in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan
Global Climate Change
Nuclear Weapons
Guantanamo and Torture
Immigrant Rights
Unemployment and the Prison-Industrial Complex
Housing Foreclosures
Universal Health Care

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