Russell Simmons sends President Bush a letter

NEW YORK (NY RnB magazine) - Def Jam Records co-founder and activist Russell Simmons and Benjamin Chavis, president of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, sent a letter to President Bush on March 10th, asking the president to use means other than war to disarm Iraq.

Some of the highlights of the letter include: "We are writing urgently to recommend that you use your good office and stature as a world leader to win disarmament of Iraq without going to war. Thus far, without a full-scale war, you have been successful in marshalling the United Nations and the world community to affirm the importance of disarming Saddam Hussein of all weapons of mass destructions."

The letter continues: "Peace is not the absence of war, but it is the presence of justice...Domestically, Mr. President, rampant poverty is on the rise and the hopes and aspirations of millions of youth are being triaged on the altar of national neglect."

At a press conference announcing the formation of Musicians United To Win Without War last month, Simmons stressed that the resources utilized for war abroad could be used to fight poverty and ignorance in America. "So let us say this - the concern that we're going to spend maybe $200 billion - you know, not counting occupation - just to win this war. We've always been able to put together the resources that we need to fight a war here in America," Simmons said. "We've never properly allocated the resources to win the real war, which is against poverty and ignorance."

Musicians United To Win Without War has culled support from a a number of noted artists including, Jay-Z, Missy Elliott, Sheryl Crow, P. Diddy, Dave Matthews, Tweet, Busta Rhymes, Natalie Imbruglia, Fat Joe, Eric Benet, Kandi Burruss, Busta Rhymes, Blu Cantrell, Capone-N-Noreaga, Floetry, Jagged Edge, K-Ci, JoJo, Lil' Mo, Nas, OutKast, Musiq, Raphael Saadiq, and Mos Def.