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Peace Week goal is voter education, registration

Sept. 14, 2004

KALAMAZOO--Scratch, vocal percussionist of the legendary hip-hop group "The Roots," headlines "Drop Beats Not Bombs," a concert Friday, Sept. 24, that caps a series of student-sponsored Peace Week events at Western Michigan University.

"Every event during Peace Week will have a voter education and registration component," says Ben Lando, a member of the Progressive Student Alliance, one sponsor of the week's activities. "For the 'Drop Beats Not Bombs' concert, everyone who shows proof that they are registered to vote or who registers to vote at the door gets in for free."

Monday, Sept. 20

Voter Registration and Education Leadership training and workshop will be held beginning a 7 p.m. in the Peace Center, located in the basement of the Wesley Foundation on the WMU West Campus. The training is sponsored by The League of Pissed Off Voters, a WMU registered student organization.

Tuesday, Sept. 21

A "Permanent Peace Pole" sculpture will be dedicated at noon in front of Sangren Hall, with remarks by WMU President Judith I. Bailey and representatives from community and student organizations.

"Sexual/Reproductive Health and Rights" will be presented by Womyn's Equality, a registered student organization at WMU. The free workshop is open to the public and begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Peace Center, located in the basement of the Wesley Foundation on the WMU West Campus.

Wednesday, Sept. 22

A "Kickoff Rally" for the Living Wage Campaign begins at noon at the West Campus flagpoles. Sponsored by Students Against Sweatshops at WMU, the rally is free and open to the public. West Campus flagpoles are located next to the Lee Honors College.

Judy Shepard, mother of slain hate-crime victim Matthew Shepard, will speak on making communities safer from hate crimes. Sponsored by the student group OUTspoken, the free lecture begins at 8 p.m. in the Dalton Center Recital Hall. More.

Thursday, Sept. 23

Students for a Sustainable Earth will sponsor "Debate: The War on Drugs," featuring local and national anti-drug-war experts and moderated by Terrell Forney, news reporter for WWMT TV3. The free, public program begins at 6 p.m. in the West Ballroom of the Bernhard Center.

The University Theatre season opens with seven performances of "God's Country," a play that examines hate crimes and domestic terrorism. The opening performance is at 8 p.m. in York Arena Theatre. More.

Friday, Sept. 24

"Drop Beats Not Bombs," a hip-hop concert, begins at 8 p.m. at Kraftbrau Brewery in downtown Kalamazoo. Scratch, "the human beatbox," and Medusa and Feline Science are the featured acts in the concert sponsored by the Progressive Student Alliance and student radio station WIDR 89.1 FM. Admission is $7 or is free with proof of voter registration or to those who register to vote at the door.

Related story
WSA organizes voter-registration drive

Media contact: Thom Myers, 269 387-8400, thom.myers@wmich.edu

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