Night Has Fallen And We Have Our Answer: There Is No Viable Anti-War Movement In America!
The Headlines: “The Size Of Anti-War Demonstrations Is Shrinking In The United States.” “Iraq Veterans Against The War (IVAW) Take The Lead… More Visible In The Crowd Of Demonstrators.” “Some Taunted Police While Others Urged Their Fellow Protesters Not To Bother Authorities. “Commotion Among Activists; Protesters Arguing Among Themselves.”
THESE ARE NOT THE HEADLINES THAT DEFINE A HEALTHY, EFFECTIVE, VIABLE ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT!
Like alcoholics that have not hit the bottom the debate in the crowd continued to be between the “Street Theater Enablers” and those prepared to be “Street Fighters”! The Anti-War Movement is not prepared for effective action. My take on it after listening in “today’s crowd” is that many will never march here again until the day we are prepared to fight here! The question has been answered. We will change or we fail. Today we failed. Our enabling and ignorable tactics only bolster the forces of war and government excesses. Divided, we are ineffective; politically correct and polite we are mere Saturday Warrior annoyances.
As long as we amuse each other and do not confront and bring the system a grinding, crunching stop; we are the enablers of abuse and killing. If I can defy you; I can demonize and use you.
TV Headline Here: “Anti-War Protest Fizzles, No Sizzle.”
I Offered My Position Days Ago…
“Saturday’s March will determine either the validity of the Anti-War Movement or it’s vanquishing as an impotent ignored component of the counter culture of America. It will demonstrate whether we are merely talking to ourselves, whether we are a viable force for opinion formation and effective change agents, or that we have become, in the eyes of others, “Fair Weather Spring Weekend Social Warriors” easily tolerated and ignored as a momentary nuisance incapable of impacting the established daily order of things in such a way as to cause meaningful disruptions that cannot be ignored. We will know whether we are a movement of activists or merely players in curious street theater.
The causes, the ills of this nation and the world are such that they must be addressed. The only questions that remain to be answered is that of: “What will it take to make a difference, and are we prepared to change ourselves if that is the message that Saturday brings?”
The answers for the movement may be as difficult as the answers to and the solution of the challenges that confront this generation. Words and walking may not be enough!”
NOW I HAVE MY ANSWER!
It Is Time For A Different Direction
And New Leadership.
AND NOW IT IS TIME FOR EVERYONE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION….
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable. “
-John F. Kennedy-
“If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude
than the animating contest of freedom, — go from us in peace. We ask
not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed
you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget
that ye were our countrymen!”
-Sam Adams-
“The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.” Plato (427-347 B.C.)
“We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office.” Aesop (620–560 B.C.)
“When fanatics are on top there is no limit to oppression.”H.L. Mencken (1880-1956), American author
“Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it.”
Judge, Learned Hand
| THE THEATER OF THE CONFLICTED FEW
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgT4DfVdaFM |
It Is All About Bring All The Social Issues To Focus On The Same Table
And…
“It’s The Economy Stupid” Was Absent From The Table Today.
The Coalescing of Issues Was Absent From The Table.
A Genuine Protest “Movement” Does Not Exist!
THE TIME FOR PROTEST STREET THEATER IS OVER!
THERE IS SERIOUS WORK TO BE DONE, SERIOUS ACTION TO BE TAKEN
WHEN HIPPIES RULED THE WORLD. IT'S THE BELL BOTTOMS, STUPID.
WASHINGTON, Mar. 21, 2009 (Xinhua News Agency) -- Although the size of anti-war demonstrations is shrinking in the United States, a group of veterans has become more visible in the crowd of demonstrations.
The group, known as Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW), has been actively involved in a series of protests to mark the sixth anniversary of the Iraq in recent days.
Dressed in black T-shirts and military Khaki pants, the group's presence is evident among thousands of anti-war protesters who took part in the rally in Washington D.C. Saturday.
The veterans erected a makeshift "watch tower" on the ground and posted a big banner on it, which says "Operation no change," a critical expression of President Barack Obama's new plans for Iraq.
On March 19, the group launched a 24-hour vigil or demonstration across the White House, the first anti-war protest in Washington D.C. on this Iraq war's anniversary.
The IVAW, founded in 2004 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has about 1,600 members with 53 chapters, including those in overseas U.S. military bases.
The organization advocates immediate withdrawal of all foreign troops from Iraq and full benefits for war veterans.
"What Obama is doing with our foreign policy on a fundamental level is not change. Though we are going to re-label the troops noncombat troops, they are still out there," argued Adam Kokesh, a prominent figure of the IVAW.
Kokesh, a decorated former Marine served in Iraq, made his name by interrupting John McCain's speech accepting the Republican nomination for president hopeful on Sept. 4 last year by yelling anti-war slogans in the audience.
He does not endorse the policy of McCain's Democratic opponent Obama, either.
Obama has been known for his opposition to the Iraq war and won staunch support from anti-war activists in last year's presidential election.
However, his decision last month to pull out all U.S. combat troops in 18 months, three months later than the timetable he promised during the campaign, was not well received among the anti- war crowds.
In particular, they criticized him for keeping a large presence of 50,000 noncombat troops in Iraq beyond August 2010 and planning to increase troop levels in Afghanistan.
"Any occupation is a crime," another IVAW member, Mike Mlekowski, told Xinhua.
"No war is better than any other war. Russians have failed in Afghanistan and I don't see any reason how can we work out there after the disaster in Iraq," he said.
"While the people in America lose their jobs and homes, the government still plans to spend billions of U.S. dollars into another war. This is not what I want," said Kyle Simgh, another IVAW member who had been in Iraq for two years.
"I also feel sorry for the Iraqi people. Their lives haven't been any better after the invasion," he said.
However, a number of IVAW members thought Obama is serious in getting U.S. troops out of Iraq.
Tracy Harmon, one of them, said while she is disappointed with Obama's decision, she still believes the president is sincere about his intention to withdraw from Iraq.
Some IVAW members voiced concerns and frustrations of their lives after returning from Iraq.
One of them is Floyd Holt from Connecticut, who remains unemployed and struggles to feed his young family. He has an 8- month son and his wife is recently pregnant again.
"I am feeling bad. We fought a wrong war and we don't get due compensations," he said.
Like many of the soldiers who served in Iraq, Holt was diagnosed with PTSD or the post traumatic stress disorder, which affects 20 percent of the veterans returning from Iraq according to official estimate.
Holt said he hasn't received any treatment or compensation for his disease from the government.
"Sometimes I have bad dreams about horrible things I saw in Iraq. I may regret for fighting the war but I won't regret for joining the anti-war course," he said.
With a clear timetable to withdraw troops from Iraq and improving ground conditions there, the ranks of U.S. anti-war crowds are shrinking.
However, the rallies and presence of anti-war activists including IVAW members, have reminded people that the Iraq war, even on a changed course, is still a controversial issue in the country, analysts said.
Massive Anti-War, Anti-Wall Street Protest In San Francisco
In typical San Francisco fashion, the demonstration, which began at Justin Herman Plaza, attracted a broad medley of causes. Protesters carried signs about the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Israel-Palestinian conflict, 9-11 conspiracies, jail time for Wall Street bankers, single-payer health care and Proposition 8, the same-sex marriage ban.
The protest remained peaceful until the main group arrived at Civic Center Plaza. There, a couple hundred pro-Israel protesters waving Israeli flags were waiting for the larger contingent, which included many pro-Palestine protesters.
The pro-Palestine group broke off from the larger demonstration to confront the Israel supporters, who were carrying signs including "Hamas, stop using children as human shields." Both sides yelled angrily at each other and some protesters got into a physical fight, shoving each other. Police arrested at least two people.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A few hundred war protesters are gathering in the nation's capital to mark the sixth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq.
The protesters are holding a rally Saturday and planning to march from northwest D.C. to the Pentagon.
Protesters held up signs and about 100 cardboard coffins draped with flags from various countries were lined up on the ground about a block from the Lincoln Memorial.
The protesters want President Barack Obama to immediately withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq. Obama has said he plans to withdraw roughly 100,000 troops by the summer of 2010 and promises to pull the last troops out by the end of 2011.
The protest is being held a few days after the March 19 anniversary. Demonstrations also are planned in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Protests In Washington, Calif. Call For War's End
By NAFEESA SYEED – 1 hour ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — Before war protesters ended their demonstration Saturday afternoon, several placed cardboard coffins in front of the offices of northern Virginia defense contractors such as KBR Inc. and Lockheed Martin Corp. as riot police stood by.
"Lockheed Martin you can't hide, we charge you with genocide!" they chanted as part of a demonstration that began in Washington to mark the sixth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq.
Arlington County, Va., authorities estimated there were 2,500 to 3,000 protesters.
Organizers from the ANSWER Coalition said more than 1,000 groups sponsored the protest to call for an end to the Iraq war. Carrying signs saying "We need jobs and schools, not war" and "Indict Bush," demonstrators beat drums and played trumpets as they marched from near the Lincoln Memorial past the Pentagon into Virginia.
Meanwhile, at a similar protest in San Francisco, tension grew after four or five dozen activists surrounded a group of riot-equipped police, throwing sticks and water bottles. Police responded by regrouping in riot formation and physically detaining several protesters who pushed and shoved with officers.
Protest leaders shouted from the stage, urging police to leave. Barriers were quickly erected between police and protesters as an organizer urged calm and the activists started to disperse.
In Washington, protesters demanded that President Barack Obama immediately withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq, saying thousands of Iraqis have died and thousands of American troops have been wounded or killed.
"We think it's especially important for this new administration to feel the pressure from people that we don't want more war," said Obama supporter Pat Halle, 59, of Baltimore.
Anti-war activists said even though former President George W. Bush is out of power, they are disappointed with what they see as stalled action from Obama.
"Obama seems to be led somewhat by the bureaucracies. I want him to follow up on his promise to end the war," said 66-year-old Perry Parks of Rockingham, N.C., who said he served in the Army for nearly 30 years, including in Vietnam.
Obama has said he plans to withdraw roughly 100,000 troops by summer 2010. He promises to pull the last of the U.S. troops by the end of 2011, in accordance with a deal Iraqis signed with Bush.
There were about 138,000 troops in Iraq as of March 13.
In southern California, hundreds of protesters gathered in Hollywood. Among them were peace advocate Cindy Sheehan — whose son was killed in Iraq — Oscar-winning screenwriter Paul Haggis and Ron Kovic, a paralyzed Vietnam veteran whose story was chronicled in the book and film "Born on the Fourth of July."
Protesters in Los Angeles were expected to follow a rally with a march and then a symbolic "die in" where they would lie down in a major Hollywood Boulevard intersection to symbolize the soldiers who have died in the war.
Protesters waved signs and sold bumper stickers and T-shirts commemorating the event.
Denise Clendenning, 51, an environmental scientist from Chino Hills, Calif., said she hopes Obama will rethink his strategy to withdraw most of the troops from Iraq and Afghanistan and call all of them back instead.
"We all have a lot of confidence in him," she said, holding two signs that read "Out of Iraq" and "End the War."
In Washington, U.S. Park Police said no arrests were made. However, there sometimes was commotion among activists.
At one point during the demonstration in Virginia, some taunted police while others urged their fellow protesters not to bother authorities. Some protesters then began arguing among themselves.
This year, the protest in Washington was held on a weekend — a few days after the March 19 anniversary of the war, which began in 2003. Last year's weekday protest was marked by lower turnout than in previous years.
Associated Press Writer Christina Hoag in Los Angeles and Jason Dearen in San Francisco contributed to this report.
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