October 15, 1969 saw the largest single day of protest in US history, the first Vietnam Moratorium. Across the United States, millions of people took part in an incredible range of locally-based protest actions. Churches rang their bells, mayors read proclamations, kids walked out of schools, rallies and teach-ins took place everywhere.
LawyerDan, almost two years ago now, summed up in a comment on DKos the incredible impact of the Vietnam Moratorium and the inability of the anti-war movement to follow through:
It was like the vietnam Moratorium ended the war, but it took 6 years to process the paperwork.
LawyerDan’s remark was one of the things that helped get some of us talking and thinking about starting an Iraq Moratorium.
We did, last fall.
And history, as it will, has failed to repeat itself. The Iraq Moratorium did not mobilize millions on its rollout day, September 15, 2007. Neither, however, did it fold up shop within a few months. Instead it has taken root in communities around the country, especially rural towns and small cities where the anti-war movement has not had much of a presence. Every month, we learn of new events called on the Third Friday of the month, and a couple of dozen reports appear on the IM website.
The war in Iraq has ground on for over five years now, and the overwhelming majority of people in this country and in Iraq want it over with–pronto. A massive media whiteout, protest fatigue, a long and dramatic election campaign and the economic meltdown have each taken their toll. Still, the fact remains that only our voices and our actions will force the next President and the next Congress to act quickly and decisively to bring this horror to an end.
It’s Got To Stop! We’ve Got To Stop It!
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It’s Moratorium Day #14. Look for a activity near you or check out the suggestions on steps you can take by yourself and others at the IM website.