On Saturday, Dec. 9, coordinated events in support of current US Army war resisters at Fort Lewis took place in Seattle, Tacoma and Olympia. As a part of a national day of action organized by Courage To Resist, demonstrators gathered to show support for three US Army soldiers who have refused to serve in Iraq: Lt. Ehren Watada, Spc. Suzanne Swift and Sgt. Kevin Benderman. Events were supported by Veterans For Peace, Stand Up Seattle, the ANSWER Coalition and the Washington State Green Party.

Stand Up Seattle activist Erin Alexander demonstrated on behalf of war resisters at Westlake Center in Seattle.

"We're sending postcards to Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray and they read, 'War doesn't take a holiday. Troops Home Now. Free all war resisters.' So we're inviting people to come on down for that too and hand deliver them to the offices of the senators."

Despite the Democratic Party's new majority in the US Congress, Alexander says that the war in Iraq will not be brought to an end until antiwar groups are able to organize and apply immense public pressure on their elected representatives in Washington, DC.

"The election is not going to make that much of a difference. New people are not going to make that big of a difference because they're the same two corporate parties funding the war with corporate money." --Mark Taylor-Canfield

Controversy over the Seattle School District's Supreme Court case continues, sparking demonstrations as district officials argue that unless they are allowed to take race into consideration in school placement, neighborhood schools will become segregated.

The legal battle has the NAACP facing off against attorneys for a local Seattle woman.

As the Seattle School District awaits a Supreme Court decision on their practice of using race as a consideration when assigning students to neighborhood schools, local representatives from civil rights groups are challenging the justices to rule in favor of the school system. They compare this case with right-wing attacks on affirmative action programs that have also landed in the Supreme Court. Theodore Shaw from the NAACP's legal defense fund says the case is just one more example of attempts to continue segregation in the United States.

Although attorneys for both sides have made arguments before the Supreme Court, it is not known how long it might take for the justices to rule on the case. --M. T.-C.

Thirty-seven antiwar protesters went on trial this week for trespassing on federal government property at the Indian Island Naval Weapons Depot near Port Townsend, Washington.

The activists are being charged with disorderly conduct, which is a misdemeanor. The maximum penalty could be 90 days in jail and a one thousand dollar fine.

The trial began Nov. 29 at the Jefferson County Courthouse. The Indian Island defendants committed civil disobedience when they held a sit-in in September that blocked military vehicles from entering or leaving the depot. Supporters held candlelight vigils this week outside the courthouse, and in several other cities around Puget Sound.

Indian Island is the main weapons depot for shipments of armaments for the US military in Iraq. On Sept. 23, as part of a national day of action designed to pressure Congress to develop a plan for an end to the occupation of Iraq, hundreds of demonstrators gathered at the gates of the Naval base to voice their opposition to the war. On the same day, protesters were also arrested at the Port of Olympia and in Representative Rick Larsen's office in Bellingham. --M. T.-C.