RUSH TO WAR:- Between Iraq and a Hard Place September 8, 2005

As the fourth anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon approaches and the war in Iraq continues at incalculable human cost, Conscientious Projector turns to filmmaker Robert Taicher for reflection and understanding through his documentary Rush to War: Between Iraq and a Hard Place. Writer-producer-director Taicher?s insightful film examines issues relating to 9/11, U.S. foreign policy and a neoconservative agenda that combined to set our country on a collision course to war in Iraq. The film opens with reactions to the September 11 tragedy of a cross-section of Americans that Taicher and his crew recorded on a coast-to-coast road trip in October, 2001. The question that was on everyone?s mind at the time but was never given its due consideration by our government and mainstream media was, ?Why do they hate us?? This RTW Productions presentation takes the question seriously and looks for answers in the analysis of interviewees such as Joseph Wilson, George McGovern, Molly Ivins, Daniel Berrigan, Richard Clarke, Chris Hedges, Noam Chomsky, Robert Scheer, Howard Zinn and several others.

Conscientious Projector partner Hector Aristizabal will facilitate a community discussion following the film, incorporating some of the interactive techniques from his work with the Center for the Theatre of the Oppressed, a co-sponsor of the film series along with All Saints Church?s Sustainable World Ministry in association with Light Bringer Project. Admission is free. For more information, contact Marty Coleman at 626.792.4941 or visit the film?s website at www.rushtowar.com.



We are also featuring Rush to War as a prelude to the Southern California visit next weekend by activist-peacemaker Medea Benjamin, founder of Code Pink and co-author with Jodie Evans of STOP THE NEXT WAR NOW: Effective Responses to Violence and Terrorism. Medea will speak at All Saints Church on Sunday September 11 at 10:15 a.m. and at a luncheon at 12:45 sponsored by All Saints Church Peace & Justice Ministries. For lunch reservations (cost is $10), contact Mark Ziolkowski at 626.583.2734 or by email at [email protected].



Medea will also speak on Sunday evening at Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles (3300 Wilshire Boulevard) at 7 p.m. This event with be hosted by KPFK, Code Pink, Progressive Christians Uniting (PCU) and Interfaith Communities United for Justice & Peace (ICUJP). The program will also feature Tom Hayden, Ray McGovern, Eisha Mason, Salam Al-Marayati and Peter Laarman. For more information, call 626.683.9004, email [email protected] or visit www.icujp.org. Suggested donation is $10 with no one turned away for lack of funds.