Cross-posted at Daily Kos
Hello out there! I don’t usually diary because as working mother of young children I am quite busy. But I really want ask this – is stopping the war a priority? I know there is a lot of compelling news today, but hope you will give this subject a moment of your attention. There are protests in 11 cities this Saturday and, on behalf of everyone who is planning to attend, I want to tell you – WE NEED YOU THERE!
http://www.oct27.org/
My sign for this protest reads – “Stop the war – for their children, and for ours” and I believe this. We have to stop this war for our children. We are draining the treasury, we are turning the world against us, we are causing pain and destruction – in their names – and they will pay for it. I shudder to think the kind of world they will grow up in.
Perhaps you will say that our energy is better spent combating global climate change – I say that protesting the war will help in this fight too. Not only by showing our politicians that we Democrats are no shrinking violets, but because going to a protest will make you an activist – one who is willing to go outside their comfort zone for what they believe in, and this carries over into other areas.
We complain and complain about our representatives continuing to fund the war. Are they spineless? We ask. What about all the alleged abuses and countless innocents living and dying in squalor? What about our soldiers PTSD who are abandoned when they return? Is our government evil? We ask. Do they have spines? We ask.
The truth is – we could ask each of these questions about ourselves. What are we willing to do to stop the war? We expect our representatives to stand up for us, but we will not even stand up for ourselves.
Do you think protesting is futile? Well, if it does no good it is because you are not there. That’s right! If you went, the protest would be a success! Because if you are going, that means that someone like you, somewhere else has seen the light and has decided to go. If everyone who is against the war marched, we could not be ignored any longer.
I am sorry for the negativity – I know a lot of you out there are going or have damn good reasons not to. I am discouraged because the entire group of mothers that I organized to march backed out. They are all against the war, but marching was not a priority. They are my friends, and I want to understand, but I don’t.
BTW – Bush and Cheney might be ignoring us, but do you think our own candidates are? Perhaps Clinton/Obama/Edwards/et al. are watching to find out what kind of supporters they’ve got. We need to let them know that we mean business – that we will not sit around and be fed on chocolate cream puffs while the world is burning down around us.
It is true that as one person we are each but a drop in the bucket. In these situations we cannot be more than that – and that bothers some people. But I say that this is pure ego and that to get things done sometimes we must move swarm-like with a crowd. If you want to express your own opinions loud and clear – go out and buy a piece of cardboard and write your thoughts in large, bold letters. You will be most satisfied when a like minded person gives you the “thumbs up” (or a counterprotestor gives you a different sort of gesture). And then march.
Please join us this Saturday at noon. For more information see http://www.oct27.org
18 comments
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As long as this war rages, nothing else can happen. Yes, it’s number one. Stop it first. No useful conversation can happen until then. Then let’s quickly move on to our devastating economic, climate, and population emergencies.
and Chicago is too far away. We have a large, active progressive community here. I’m disappointed we were not part of the original plan.
…we have an OBLIGATION to march, lest we see OUR children marching off next. So many mothers grieve for their losses, so many lost and orphaned children because of the actions this fucking government has taken. Everyone should be on the streets tomorrow, not just mothers or fathers, young and old-EVERYONE. From every race, color, creed and size…
Great diary Bikemom….I’d like to share mine with you, too…“We the People!”
I’m going to Boston tomorrow.
Peace to you and your family!
If one really wanted to stop the war one needs to take the financial incentives of death and destruction away. Make it not profitable. Actually I would be far more willing to lower my lifestyle to stop the war than I would for “global warming”.
Simple things like do I really need that cell phone or for that matter anything electronic. The HD DVD does not feed you. Seven credit cards offer zero advantage.
Stop the war, stop buying shit, let advertizers know Faux News is not the voice of America.
Expose the mainstream mediocrity of American culture for the profane thing it really is. Yes, I do realize I need an entire book to explain that one.
Pocketbook, change will not happen until it ceases to be profitable.
in order to add my drop to the bucket. Let go of my local commitment to go canvasing for the Democratic party and am heading downtown for the tiny crowd that gathers at my cities hub to protest. So tired of being told that we can’t end this and having reality dictated by those of both parties who are rooting for endless war and profiteering. The drops do add up but the solution to our large body of water seems nowhere in sight. I guess we just need to build the water till the torrent drowns them all.
look here
http://news.google.c…