From the heartland: A rationale for the Iraq Moratorium

(10 am – promoted by ek hornbeck)

We’ve written in the past about the hardy and dedicated folks up in Hayward, in northern Wisconsin, who have led the nation in participation in the Iraq Moratorium, which will be observed again on next Friday, May 16.

They’ve turned out 80 people in a city of 2,100 for the monthly Third Friday vigil at a highway intersection — a participation rate that would translate nationally into 12 million people in the streets.

Wisconsin has more events each month than any other state except California, with seven times the population, in large part because the Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice, a statewide coalition of 150 groups, has encouraged its affiliates to take part.

Not resting on their laurels, two of the organizers of the Hayward vigils have written the following piece, which was distributed statewide by WNPJ. Please take the time to read it all the way through, so you don’t miss the powerful quote at the end from Martin Murie:

Dear Concerned Citizens,

When Russ Feingold was at his Sawyer County listening session in Hayward this last February, Peace North member Dan Krause (in front of one hundred people) informed him that Wisconsin is leading the nation, per capita, in Iraq Moratorium monthly events.  As north woods folks are sometimes inclined to do, Dan followed up with a bit of brag by telling Feingold that Hayward, per capita, is leading the nation in turnout for these events.  Much to our delight, Feingold responded that he was well aware of that fact!  After the session, he shook Dan’s hand and told him to “keep up the good work.”

Less than a week later Senator Feingold introduced troop re-deployment legislation, yet again, onto the floor of the Senate, telling his colleagues that at listening sessions throughout Wisconsin in January and February his constituents made it clear that they wanted an end to the war in Iraq.  Three weeks later almost 70 people came out again in Hayward for the March Iraq Moratorium Day to stand for peace.  Many folks said they felt like they owed it to Senator Feingold to take a stand.

So, if you are part of a regular vigil, we are asking you to change your regular event to the third Friday of every month, or perhaps adding an additional third Friday event.  And if you’re not yet part of a vigil, then start one! We are convinced that whatever we can do to create solidarity among peace and justice groups statewide is going to give us greater strength and visibility.  In addition, with Kathy Kelly and the folks from Voices for Creative Nonviolence planning to walk across Wisconsin later this summer (Witness Against War 2008:  From Chicago to St. Paul –  http://vcnv.org/witness-agains… ) we have an opportunity to support her work with organized statewide vigils, and to show the rest of the country the way forward for peace in Iraq.

Organized people show power.  We show we are a true force and our politicians notice!

When we all do something on the same day, regardless of our group’s focus (peace, church, labor, justice, etc.), we show organization and strength.  That is the beauty of the Moratorium; it is an umbrella for all groups.

Invite friends and acquaintances – others who are fed up to stand and be counted.  Everyone – call your representatives and the White House.  They work for us!

We end this plea with a quote by WWII Veteran, author and anti-war activist, Martin Murie:

“Peace activists have learned that big demos in Washington, DC, alone will not save us.  Sure, let’s go there, or other big cities to show the peace doves, and Old Glory too, once in a while.  But the real engines in this campaign to save ourselves from oblivion are the small but determined protests mounted everywhere across this land. Building a huge and independent movement of enraged and engaged citizens is the way to not only move democracy out of its infancy, but to force the next administration, whether Democratic or Republican, to stop the insane, tragic, cowardly invading of other nations.”

The Iraq Moratorium, a decentralized but national grass-roots effort that asks individuals to take personal responsibility to do something — anything — to show their opposition to the war.

Let’s move forward together.

Steve Carlson, Peace North  

Margaret Eggers Krause, Veterans for Peace Chapter 153