[Dryerase] Fwd: [Dryerase-d] AGR DC Anti-war protests

[Shawn G]

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Asheville Global Report
www.agrnews.org

DC hosts largest anti-war protest in US since Vietnam

By Celene DeLoach and Willy Rosencrans

Asheville, North Carolina, Oct. 28 (AGR) –  Hundreds of thousands
gathered in streets across the US on Oct. 26, the one-year
anniversary of the passage of the USA PATRIOT Act, to protest the
Bush administration’s impending invasion of Iraq. International
ANSWER, the group which called for the day of protests, said the numbers far 
exceeded their expectations.
Between 150,000 and 200,000 people gathered in Washington, DC’s
Constitution Gardens, making it DC’s largest anti-war demonstration
since Vietnam. The demonstration culminated in a march that
encompassed nearly 30 blocks before drawing to a close; when
marchers at the front of the procession returned to Constitution
Avenue on their way back, they had to wait to allow demonstrators at
the tail of the march to pass. Police blocked protesters from
approaching the White House; three arrests were made.
Protesters voiced a variety of concerns about a US offensive against
Iraq. Some felt that it drew attention from increasingly worsening
economic woes at home.
“This Iraq war is 100 percent bullshit,” said Martin Freed of No
Nukes North in Fairbanks, AK. “It’s a political ploy to take
people’s minds off the loss of social services and civil rights in
our country and the failed ‘terror war.’”
Tina Plummer, of Fayetteville, NC, agreed. “I haven’t met many
people who are in favor of a military offensive. They’re more
concerned about jobs. We’re in an economic slump.”
Others focused on the international ramifications of an offensive.
Suk Jong Hong, of the Korean community development group Nodutdol
(Stepping Stone), came from New York with a group of Koreans and
Korean-Americans to draw connections between the US occupation of
Korea and the probable aftermath of a US invasion of Iraq.
>  “Korean civilians suffer from murder and rape committed with impunity by 
>US soldiers,” said Hong. “The Status of Forces Agreement permits the US to 
>have legal jurisdiction over all its bases. It also gives the US the use of 
>natural resources... It’s a colonial relationship.”
>Maria Gnecco of Colombia saw similar motives behind US interventions in 
>Colombia and Iraq. “It’s all about oil. Colombia has oil, and the US has 
>set up protection for oil there. Colombia’s oil has been taken over by the 
>US. They don’t care about the people.”
>Luis Cardoza, an organizer with Colombia’s SINALTRAINAL union who was once 
>kidnapped by paramilitaries allegedly working for Coca Cola, agreed. “It’s 
>all done for the resources and raw materials of the country.”
>Rashid, a Syrian living in Baltimore, gave this message to Bush: “Start a 
>war with Israel if you want to fight countries with nuclear weapons.”
>Osman, originally from Iraq but a resident of New Jersey for the past 18 
>years, came with his wife and three children “because only innocent people 
>are killed in wars.” He remembered the hundreds of civilians killed in the 
>Amiriyah bunker in Iraq by a US “smart” bomb in 1991.
>Many demonstrators had simpler, angrier messages. Santino, an Italian 
>living in New York, came with a sign bearing the likeness of George Bush 
>and the words “Guerra? Ma vavangulo, stronzo di merda!” [War? Go screw 
>yourself, you piece of shit!]
>“Fuck you, bastard,” exclaimed Freed when asked if he had any words for the 
>president.
>In San Francisco, demonstrators filled a mile-long stretch of city blocks 
>as they marched from the financial district to City Hall. At one point the 
>crowd numbered 42,000.
>“I’m out here because I think this whole idea of bombing Iraq is 
>atrocious,” said Hilary Hann, a 43-year-old social worker. “Everybody 
>should be out here doing what I’m doing because it’s the only way we’re 
>going to have any voice.”
>“What I see is blame, retaliation, vengeance and war, and it doesn’t help,” 
>said Scott Valentino. “It doesn’t do anything except cause more bloodshed 
>and endanger more Americans.”
>The demonstration was peaceful, though a splinter group of about 600 broke 
>off, wandered through the financial district and stood briefly outside an 
>Army reserve office, according to police spokesman Dewayne Tully. They 
>spray-painted slogans on streets, but there was no other property damage 
>and no arrests.
>In Taos, NM a crowd estimated at 2,500 marched to Donald Rumsfeld’s home in 
>El Prado, north of town, many wearing Halloween skull masks. At least 10 
>state and federal agents stood guard. Protesters hung their placards along 
>a wooden fence lining the driveway. Some of the protesters staged a die-in 
>in front of the home.
>“Taos is an international peace zone,” Mayor Peralta said.
>Marvin Gladstone, 75, of Albuquerque, came dressed as Uncle Sam and wore a 
>sign on his chest that said: “I Want You to Die for Oil.”
>In Des Moines, IA, police arrested 14 people for blocking the gates to an 
>Iowa National Guard base. The 14, watched by 75 supporters across the 
>street, had refused police orders to leave. They were handcuffed, taken to 
>jail and charged with criminal trespass.
>In November, five planes and 200 members of the 132nd Fighter Wing will 
>leave from the base for a 30-day deployment to patrol the no-fly zones in 
>northern Iraq. Iowa National Guard Officer Ed Graybill said the November 
>patrol is routine and will be the sixth deployment in Iraq in six years.
>“I felt that my conscience called me to do it,” said Eileen Hanson, 28, of 
>the action. It was the first time she has been arrested for protesting. 
>“I’ve tried to resist the war in Iraq within the boundaries of the law, but 
>now this is what I had to do.”
>At a later gathering in Des Moines, more than 200 people assmbled to 
>demonstrate against a war on Iraq.
>Around 10,500 rallied in St. Paul, MN and marched to the state Capitol.
>“I haven’t personally seen this many people gathered for peace since 
>Vietnam,” said Pat McPeak, a St. Paul school nurse.
>The peace themes of the rally highlighted what many viewed as conflicting 
>interests: corporations, oil companies, and the country’s wealthiest 
>citizens vs. education, health, and housing for the average taxpayer.
>“I’m old enough to remember Vietnam, and what we learned then was that 
>sometimes our own government lies to us,” Fran Conklin said.
>250 gathered in Durham, NC as police and private security guards stood by 
>to arrest any “trespassers” on private property. “I haven’t been to a 
>demonstration in 30 years!” exclaimed one protester.
>There were some early unpleasantries with private security guards from the 
>Brightleaf Square shopping center. The security guards prevented ralliers 
>from parking in Brightleaf-operated lots under threat of towing, and 
>threatened to have any ralliers who “walked across the property” arrested 
>for trespassing.
>A march in Montpelier, VT drew 1,100 people. Ten-year-old Ariel Goodman 
>took her turn at the podium to call on the government to spend more money 
>on schools — including her own century-old school building, which she said 
>badly needs repairs — and less on the defense budget.
>“It’s really, really, really stupid that we can kill people for oil,” she 
>said.
>“It’s crucially important that we tell the administration that we want no 
>part of their warmongering on the suffering people of Iraq or any other 
>country,” said Nancy Rice, 60. “I don’t think that we have any right to 
>change regimes of other countries. War puts the whole world in a very 
>vulnerable position.”
>2,500 marched in Augusta, ME through a steady, cold rain to voice their 
>opposition.
>“As a [Vietnam] veteran, I’m asking you to do all you can to ensure your 
>sons and daughters do not serve in this war,” Dud Hendrick urged the crowd.
>Tom Jackson, an activist and filmmaker who produced Greetings from Missile 
>Street, a documentary showing Iraqi citizens struggling to survive under 
>economic sanctions, said modern warfare has the heaviest impact on 
>children.
>“The children of Iraq and Afghanistan have just as much value as ours do 
>here in the United States,” Jackson said. He said people should consider 
>not paying federal taxes so their money can’t be used to support war.
>
>Additional information from Associated Press, Des Moines Register, Maine 
>Sunday Telegram, NC Indymedia, St. Paul Pioneer Press,
>
>
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