Blackwater opened a new training facility in Jo Daviess County in northwestern Illinois earlier this year.
A Gathering At the Gate of Blackwater North will be on Saturday August 11th 2pm to 4pm. Be a part of the first event at the gate of Blackwater USA’s new training facility in Illinois. It is located on South Skunk Hollow Road, seven miles north of Mt. Carroll Illinois, in Jo Daviess County. It is about 40 miles from Galena. (See driving directions below.)
This event is sponsored by Clearwater. A group of local peace and justice groups and concerned citizens of the area. Join this peace festival of music, druming, dancing, and speakers. This will be the first time in history that a group of unarmed citizens have gathered for peace at the gates of the world’s most powerful private military firm.
This nonviolent event will draw attention to Blackwater USA’s presence in Illinois. The Gathering will also educate the local citizens about Blackwater’s history and their role in the Iraq war. This event will also highlight the privatization of our military.
As most of you know there are now as many private contractors in Iraq as American soldiers. 41 cents of every tax dollar spent in Iraq goes to private companies. Blackwater is the best known of the over 140 private military firms in Iraq. And they operate without oversight. P.W. Singer, author of Corporate Warriors points out, “An owner of a circus faces more regulation and inspection than a private military company.”
If you would like to voice your concern about this rising flood of privatization threatening our democracy come to Gathering At The Gate August 11th. Come and lend your voice to stop the spread of Blackwater into our state and across this country. If not now..when? If not here….where? Join us in sending a strong message to this private army.
See driving directions below.
Also the Gathering At the Gate coincides with the Willow Folk Festival just two miles away. The two day Willow Folk Festival is Illinois’s largest and best known folk festival drawing folk musicians and a listening audience from all over the United States. Make a weekend of it with great folk music and being a part of the first group to stand at the gates of a private military facility.
Driving from the South follow Route 78 to East Loran Road. Turn right and go east to Skunk Hollow Road turn right follow it to the gathering.
Driving from the north follow route 20 from Rockford to route 78 in Stockton Illinois. Follow route 78 to East Loran Road turn left and follow to South Skunk Hollow Road, turn right and follow to the Gathering.
For more info about Blackwater and Blackwater North visit the noprivatearmies.org website. Also you can email for more information to dan@noprivatearmies.org.
Blackwater NorthMount Carroll, IL
See map: Google Maps
