Mar 16 2008
Cross posted from DailyKos.
Please join me in a protest against the war.
On March 19, 2003 (US time), the US invaded Iraq on a search for “Weapons of Mass Destruction” – the first of many excuses claimed by the Bush Administration for this illegal war.
On the five year anniversary of that invasion, I ask you to join me in protest.
More over the jump.
Mar 15 2008
I’ve just returned home from the World Against War demo today in London. It was a fantastic event, with an excellent turnout (between 10-40,000, according to the BBC) and a great atmosphere. The march was called to mark five years since the invasion of Iraq, although Israel’s recent crimes in Gaza were definitely on everyone’s mind – which is excellent, of course. The march was convened by the Stop the War Coalition around three basic demands: troops out from Afghanistan and Iraq, no attack on Iran and an end to the siege of Gaza. On all three, as Tony Benn was sure to remind us, the marchers spoke for the majority of British and world public opinion.
Mar 08 2008
March 19th marks the 5th anniversary of the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq. This debacle is costing us ,upwards of two trillion dollars, nearly four thousand American lives so far, and a million or so Iraqi lives.
Feb 16 2008
“There must be some way out of here,” said the joker to the thief, “There’s too much confusion, I can’t get no relief.
Businessmen, they drink my wine, plowmen dig my earth, None of them along the line know what any of it is worth.”
“No reason to get excited,” the thief, he kindly spoke,
“There are many here among us who feel that life is but a joke.But you and I, we’ve been through that, and this is not our fate, So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late.”
All along the watchtower, princes kept the view
While all the women came and went, barefoot servants, too.Outside in the distance a wildcat did growl,
Two riders were approaching, the wind began to howl.Bob Dylan – All Along the Watchtower
Jan 12 2008
Cross-posted at http://silencedmajority.blogs….
In 1967, a non-partisan Hollywood (Beverly Hills) group named Another Mother for Peace (AMP) began their campaign to end the Vietnam war. The group was formed spontaneously by 15 women attending the party for Barbara Avedon’s son’s first birthday. In addition to ending the war, the group advocated for a cabinet-level secretary of peace. AMPs biggest impact arguebly came about as a result of a graphic for a card/poster the group promoted designed by Lorraine Schneider (1925-1972) . In a national campaign led by Hollywood elite, the graphic was sent along with a million letters to elected leaders in DC in an appeal to end the war. The AMP is active today. The son of the late Barbara Avedon and the daughters of Lorraine Schneider are carrying on the family tradition by participating in this group.
Lorraine Schneider’s poster was simple, but poignant.
Jan 03 2008
Harvesting Corn In Mexico By Hand
Dozens of Mexican farmers blocked a lane of the border bridge from Ciudad Juarez to El Paso for 36 hours to protest the removal of Mexico’s last tariffs on US and Canadian farm goods. The protest ended today.
Activists lifted a blockade at the U.S.-Mexico border on Wednesday, ending a 36-hour protest against the removal of Mexico’s last tariffs on U.S. and Canadian farm goods.
Mexico abolished its last protective tariffs on basic crops like corn, beans and sugar on Tuesday, under the terms of the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA. Mexican farmers have complained they won’t be able to compete with U.S. farmers who can sell cheaper products because they receive government subsidies.
Mexico’s Roman Catholic Church has warned that the changes could spark an exodus to the U.S.
“It is clear that many farmers will have a difficult time competing in the domestic market, and that could cause a large number of farmers to leave their farms,” the archdiocese said in a statement issued on New Year’s Day.
More across the Rio Pequeno.
Nov 24 2007
11/16/07 (Berkeley, CA) – The third Friday of every month I have been attending a war protest on the streets of Berkeley, CA. The majority of the protesters are members of the Grey Panthers and/or are from Strawberry Creek Lodge, a nearby retirement community. The rest are random people who heard about this through word of mouth, IraqMoratorium.org or some other organization. For two hours we stand on four corners of a busy street. All the cars honk when they drive by and when they are stopped at the light some people hand out slips of paper with the date and time of the next event. Pedestrians are also given flyers about taking action to end the war.
The most recent IM Day, I brought my video camera and took some footage. First you will hear a song and then there are some interview clips speaking out against the war. Listen to the voices of our elders. These are the real deal DFHs, many protested Vietnam and wars before that. I’m so glad they agreed to be on camera. You may catch a glimpse of Docudharma’s own dharmasyd – who I met after the first IM Day. She is one of the organizers of this monthly action.
Disclaimer: This is the first time I have ever edited a video and put it on YouTube. I was in a hurry to put it together so the quality may suck but the spirit and sincerity of The People still shines through (I hope). If I can figure out the sound editing I will do another version with all the extra footage I have.
Here are some photos from the first IM Day (9/21/07).
Oct 29 2007
First, thanks to Sheddhead for the essay and great pictures.
This would have been sooner, but I’m kinda’ new at this digital stuff and uploading on a public site, etc.
As Sheddhead said, the day turned out beautiful, although a little brisk.
I did not attend the Union Park Rally, or the march, but instead went early to Federal Plaza, where all protestors ultimately gathered.
Early arrival at Federal Plaza
There’s more:
Oct 28 2007
Crossposted from Daily Kos
Yesterday turned into a beautiful day in Chicago. It started out grey and drizzly, but by the time people met in Union Park, the rain had passed – and when people started to march, the sun came out.
Thank you to dmsilev for agreeing to go to the rally and march and I’m sorry we missed you to Got A Grip. We had the sign out, but we completely missed you.
Please join me over the fold for many photos.
Oct 28 2007
Several hundred people turned out for an anti-war rally in Minneapolis at the intersection of Lake and Hiawatha streets. I found out about this rally after reading Bikemom’s diary here on Docudharma.
Nearly all of the participants at the rally expressed concern that Bush is planning a war with Iran. I compared the tally for the Kyl-Lieberman Bill that declares part of Iran’s army a terrorist group to the vote for the Iraq war authorization. The votes were 76-22 and 77-23 for Iran and Iraq bills, respectively. We haven’t made any ground since the killing began. The last photo shows the US flag flying upside down which is a sign of distress. Indeed it is…..
More pictures below- ek
Oct 26 2007
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
Oct 20 2007
Yesterday was Today isIraq War Moratorium Day. It is a day of national individualized action observed the third Friday of every month. Take the pledge.
It’s hard for me to believe that it’s already been four weeks since the first Iraq War Moratorium Day. The time flew by for me. And perhaps for some of you.
Unfortunately, since then, time has just came to a halt, real and metaphorical, for more victims–civilian and military–of the continued occupation of Iraq and their loved ones .