Raelians Top Off 'Happiness Academy' with Antiwar Protest on Las Vegas Strip

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Mar 30, 2012, 06:00 ET

LAS VEGAS, March 30, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Raelians from around the world will gather in front of Bally's Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip on Saturday, March 31, from 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. to protest against the upcoming predicted war with Iran and against warfare in general, according to a statement released this morning by the International Raelian Movement (IRM).

Several hundred members of the International Raelian Movement (www.rael.org) are in town for their annual North American 'Happiness Academy,' held at the Alexis Park Hotel from March 25-April 1. This afternoon, they will be on the public sidewalk in front of Bally's, located at 3645 Las Vegas Blvd., with the protest to take place at the southeast corner of Las Vegas Blvd. and Flamingo Road.

"Our spiritual leader, Rael, has just called for a worldwide protest against war in general and against the media-hyped, all-too-likely upcoming war with Iran in particular," said Raelian Guide Ricky Roehr, who heads the IRM's North American Continent branch. "It's a case of perfect timing because we're just coming off a weeklong celebration of love and harmony at our annual Happiness Academy. This protest will allow us to share our vision of a nonviolent world with the public and also go on record against waging war with Iran or any other country. We invite all those who oppose war to join us today in front of Bally's and make their wishes known in a public display of opposition to the greatest danger facing humanity – modern warfare."

Roehr said Rael has just conferred the title of 'Honorary Guide' on two individuals, Roni Edry and Michal Tamir, for starting a 'We Love You' campaign on Facebook, and that while acknowledging their contribution to the good of all humanity, he took the opportunity to also call for a worldwide protest against war with Iran.

"Radical change cannot come from governments, who are only concerned about keeping their power," Rael explained in a statement released earlier this week. "[A] love revolution can only come from the people…"

According to Rael, humanity has only one way to survive: adopting radical, global nonviolence. But with rumors of impending war with Iran swirling in the corridors of the Israeli and American governments and the Western media already sounding the alarm, the Raelian spiritual leader is especially concerned, Roehr said.

"I'm asking the entire world … to protest against waging war with Iran in every way they can, whether on the Internet or in the streets," Rael urged in the statement released by the IRM earlier this week. "People have had enough of the media and government manipulation that conditions them to accept and promote violence…. If fear disappears and nonviolence prevails, no government, politicians, laws, money or media will be needed, and the world can become a beautiful, anarchist society of collaboration, sharing, compassion and love. That's the world we are meant to live in!"

SOURCE Raelian Movement