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Feb. 15, 2003 -- Protests around the
world |
Witherspooners and friends report on local protests [2-17-03]
Along with hundreds of thousands around the country, and millions around the
world, Witherspoon members and friends organized and walked and talked, sang
and shouted - and of course stood around and listened to speeches - over the
past weekend, in a common effort to avert the President's planned war on
Iraq.
Here are a few local reports; if you can add an
observation of your own, we'd like to hear from you and to share it here!
Just send
a note!
We're also posting some
commentary and analysis from
various sources.
Marilyn White of the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship
has gathered more reports from
around the country.
What do
millions of protesters for peace look like?
[2-22-03]
Here's a delightful website that simply answers that question with
photos from demonstrations around the world - from Seoul, Dunedin (New
Zealand), London and Madrid and Berlin and Paris and New York. And
yes, even Santa Fe and Minneapolis! It's all on one long page, which
will take a while to download, but take a little walk and come back to
enjoy it.
And another view:
The U.S. Green
Party has put together a Flash Film of visions of peaceful protest
from around the world on February 15. This takes even longer to
download, but you get a nice sound track, and fancier presentation.
And a little moralizing at the end about the administration's little
links to the oil industry, etc. |
| Here are the latest reports from participants in
actions in Raleigh, NC, and Louisville.
[2-18-03]
Raleigh, NC
I was with a group from Greensboro
(G-bo Peace Coalition) who went to Raleigh, our state capitol,
Saturday. There were probably 6,000 to 8,000 (maybe more) who took
part. Speeches from many folks, then the time to march. Not many folks
to see us, because Raleigh takes off for the weekend, I guess. But it
was a wonderful group -- all ages, backgrounds, religious or
non-affiliated, clever signs, and a good spirit. It was very civil. I
understand that a small group of pro-war folks were there but did not
see them.
Marches and demonstrations took place
in NC also in Wilmington, Charlotte, and Asheville, that I know of.
The curious thing was the lack of news on TV that evening at 6 and 11.
Some shots of the marchers in NY and Paris, and at 11 one fast shot of
our local group that literally was less than a second. The Sunday
paper carried articles, fortunately. My paranoia tells me that the
media owners of our TV and newspapers put the blackout on for some
reason. We get only what the owners (in Richmond, VA, I think) want us
to get. Talk about censorship!
Jean Rodenbough
Louisville
Dear friends:
This morning, Feb 15, 2003, the Louisville
Courier-Journal reported: "More than 500 people in the Louisville
area braved chilly rain and wind to join their voices with peace
activists around the world yesterday in opposing a U.S.-led war
against Iraq." The story went on to give us really good coverage
including three photos and quotes from a number of people.
We thought it a sign of greater understanding of our
efforts and more positive reporting, especially the number "more than
500." Often the numbers cited seem considerably lower than what we
have counted, and the story might conclude with a quote from some
warmonger criticizing us. I guess none of them braved the weather to
show up in opposition.
The weather was really nasty yesterday with rain
coming down constantly, though for the most part not really hard. We
gathered at Central Park where the ground was thoroughly soaked. After
some brief speeches we marched about a mile and a half to the federal
building in downtown Louisville to conclude the rally with more
speeches.
We heard from a young man named Doug Johnson, a
member of a delegation of Voices in the Wilderness, going to Iraq in
solidarity with the Iraqi people. Their expectation is to remain there
even if the US starts the attack. Doug left Louisville this afternoon.
The news report this morning didn't mention him, but the paper had a
feature article about him several days ago.
Other speakers placed great emphasis on the oneness
of all humans. One minister said we want to blur the distinctions
usually placed between Americans and Iraqis, but also between rich and
poor, young and old, educated and uneducated, black and white,
straight and gay, etc. It was, to me, a great affirmation of human
life in protest against the destructiveness and divisiveness of war
and death.
Wanda and I got to the Central Park for the last of
the speeches and continued on the march till the finale. Several other
folks from James Lees Pres. Ch. where we attend were there, as well as
folks from our denominational headquarters office, including Sara
Lisherness, coordinator of the Peacemaking Program.
Luckily we could get public busses at the corner
that took us back to Central Park. While waiting in the shelter I
struck up conversation with a middle aged looking man who said this
was the first time he had taken any action for peace, but it was a
break-through for him and he would keep on. He cares full time for his
mother who has been disabled by a stroke and can't afford nursing home
care. Said he's a zen Buddhist, but hasn't found a local group he's
compatible with. I invited him to James Lees, when he asked whether
our pastor was active, and I assured him he was. Phil Lloyd-Sidle was
one of six people arrested during our protest of Bush's visit to
Louisville just before last fall's election, and he has participated
in clergy comments about the need for citizen police review board.
Although we can't compare with the massive rallies
in other places, we thought that over 500 out for more than 2 hours in
a wintry rain in Louisville was pretty remarkable.
Arch Taylor |
Nashville
In Nashville, the Peace and Justice Center once again called for a
demonstration at an intersection between Vanderbilt and Hillsboro Village,
in the part of town that is noted for accepting this sort of thing (our
neighborhood is the one where there was a "God Bless All People" sign after
9/ll and where there are lots of "Wage Peace" signs during the war buildup).
I counted well over a hundred on my corner, and a hard count came in at 550.
Even the news media got the number right for a change. And drivers often
honked, waved, or gave the peace sign.
Gene TeSelle
Santa Fe
Santa Fe on February 15th - 4500 plus people gathered at the State Capitol
and marched to the city plaza to announce their desire for peace and
opposition to War in Iraq. The marchers were accompanied by drums, puppets
from street theatre and thousands of signs stating their opposition to war.
Others showed their support by standing on the roof tops of the building
around the plaza.
The crowd spent three hours listening to speeches, clapping, singing,
chanting "There is no power like the power of the people 'cause the power of
the people won't stop!" A great day for the people.
Betty Kersting
Minneapolis
As our long line of marchers for peace flowed down the hill toward downtown
Minneapolis, we were welcomed by the somber, joyful pealing of church bells.
The Basilica of St. Mary was welcoming the protest. But others welcomed the
procession, too - waving from apartment windows, honking horns, flashing the
peace sign.
The protest organizers estimated 7,500 to 8,000 people took part, although
one person guessed the number was closer to 10,000. It was clearly the
largest gathering yet to protest the impending war against Iraq.
One young couple with three cute kids carried a sign with photos of Bush,
Cheney, and Rumsfeld, with the legend, "They're selling war." Under that
were photos of the three children and the line, "We're not buying." The
photo of the President was the same not-very-flattering one featured in the
flier that's been circulating recently with the caption, "Another empty
warhead discovered in Presidential Palace."
Another placard read "How many Iraq children must die for us to feel safe?"
And another: "Peace, not duct tape, will keep us safe."
(Of course we in the Twin Cities, home of 3M, can't be entirely hostile to a
presidential endorsement of duct tape. Our economy can use a little boost,
just like everyone else's these days.)
Minneapolis City Council member Dean Zimmermann was one of the speakers as
the marchers gathered in Loring Park. He reminded the crowd that "homeland
security" really requires just the things that are must threatened by the
current administration: an educated public, a home for every citizen,
"equitable distribution of the wealth that each of us helps produce," and an
energy system that doesn't keep increasing our reliance on foreign sources
of oil - or on any sources of oil, rather increasing our use of renewable
energy sources.
I heard no hints of opposition to the demonstration, except that as I walked
away from the rally I noted a little piece of paper taped to the railing on
somebody's front steps, with the simple insistence: "Bomb Iraq!" That
sentiment has the President on its side, but the voices saying "No!" are
growing stronger.
You can read a press report in the
Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Doug King
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BECOMING NEIGHBORS:
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