AFSC SENE Report from DC: 9/25
Saturday's rally, marches, and day-long Peace & Justice Festival showed that the grassroots movement to end the war in Iraq is growing, and growing more determined. The mood among the marchers was more serious than many previous protests. The freewheeling, noisy, joyous attitude marking previous major protests has been tempered by over two and a half years of death and destruction. If the day could be condensed to a single phrase, it would be "¡Ya Basta!" "Enough is enough!" Many came to the march who had never marched before in their lives, and were clear why they were there: to demand an end to this war, now.
The war has divided families, the nation, and the world, and made it increasingly clear who among us are willing to stand up for a way of living that makes no distinctions based on language, religion, or culture but loves unconditionally, and who among us cannot even walk down the road to speak with a grieving mother.
Hundreds of thousands of people have now returned to their communities to spread the word that there is a powerful force working to end the war, energized by new ideas, enriched by new connections and friends, and empowered by new resources. The northwest corner of the Washington Monument grounds was filled with tents for groups and individuals to share ideas and make connections, a free, open-air convention that lasted until late afternoon on Sunday.
Those who have stayed in Washington for the rest of the weekend are continuing to work for a better world. A national conference on counter-recruitment was held Sunday morning, where activists from all over the country came to share their successes and challenges in a campaign that is challenging the war effort at home: in our high schools and community colleges, in our neighborhoods and public places. Workshops were held throughout the festival on all manner of subjects. Cindy Sheehan made the connection for a crowd at the nearby Green Festival between the anti-war movement and the environmental movement, followed by Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers, who urged the crowd to reach out to all other people who are working to make a better world.
One particular tent radiated a new vision in the waning light on Sunday evening. This was a gathering of Clergy and Laity Concerned about Iraq, a growing group of faith leaders and communities inspired by a similar group that started during the Vietnam War. During what was billed as an "interfaith peace and justice service" but felt more like a revival tent, faith leaders from across the country spoke to the need for progressive movements to reclaim spirituality and the prophetic voice. In a time when religion is too often ceded to those who warp the teachings of the great world religions to mask their self-serving and globally destructive agendas, this was indeed a revival, especially important on the eve of the momentous events planned for Monday in Congressional offices and at the White House.
The gathering was a manifestation of an important and powerful force in the anti-war movement and all other progressive movements today. As one woman said, "They may be the religious right wing, but we're the rest of the bird." Rabbi Michael Lerner pointed out that the religious right is capitalizing on a massive spiritual crisis in America, and that it is the responsibility of all who feel moved by faith to act for change in the world to give the country, and the anti-war movement, a more positive vision of spirituality that affirms the inherent worth and dignity of every human being. Cornel West, a powerful combination of professor and preacher, gave an electric sermon urging those gathered to struggle against the morally bankrupt "imperial religions" and face all injustices with an open heart. A Buddhist monk led the whole tent in singing "Go Down, Moses", which he had learned while retracing the path of the Underground Railroad from New York into Canada.
After closing prayers were said, after the whole tent joined hands, after the chairs were folded up and stacked, the group dispersed to prepare for Monday. Hundreds of grassroots lobbiers will be visiting their Congresspeople to urge them to work for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. Dozens of independent groups will be engaging in civil disobedience and nonviolent direct action throughout Washington, including the War Resisters League at the Pentagon.
And at the White House, over 500 people, led by Clergy and Laity Concerned about Iraq, veterans, and military families, including Cindy Sheehan, will assemble in Lafayette Park and approach the White House. Members of the Southeastern New England community will be among them. They will ask for a meeting with the President. They will be denied. Many will begin to pray, which is illegal on the White House grounds. At their signal, all those gathered who are prepared to risk arrest will converge on the White House.
We here at the American Friends Service Committee in Southeastern New England wish to express our admiration for all the hope, hard work, resolve, and most of all love with which you have all confronted the problems of our world, and we are deeply grateful for the opportunity to help you in this work. We hope that on Monday, all of you will hold those who are in Washington in your thoughts and in your hearts.
In the Light of Service,
AFSC SENE Staff and Volunteers
AFSC SENE Report from DC: 9/24
Over 500 people traveled from Southeastern New England to Washington DC yesterday, on their way to a protest that organizers say drew over 300,000 people and took up at least 20 city blocks in the heart of the nation's capital. Many who came from our area marched under a beautiful blue and yellow banner which read "Southeastern New England United for Peace". At least nine buses, a new record, and many vans, cars, and at least one bicycle, carried people from Southeastern New England down to the rally. People from across the country, from Florida to Texas to Alaska to Maine, converged on DC to tell the administration to bring the troops home now and end the horrific war which has claimed the lives of 1914 US and coalition forces and at least 29,000 Iraqis
There were so many people assembled at the rally that it took hours for the march to get fully under way, and march organizers announced that the march had already passed the White House and was heading back around before the end of the march even moved.
Sunday's events include a national counter-recruitment strategy meeting, training for congressional lobbying and mass nonviolent direct action, and an interfaith service held by an assembly of faith leaders from Clergy and Laity Concerned about Iraq (CALC-I). AFSC SENE will continue to report on the events of the weekend, and hopes that all those who came down for yesterday's protest arrived back home safely.
For more information on what's going on, we would recommend the following sites:
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/
http://dc.indymedia.org/
AFSC SENE Report from DC: 9/23
The staff of the AFSC SENE office, along with 8 buses and many vans and cars full of people from Southeastern New England, will be traveling down to Washington, DC, for what may prove to be the largest anti-war protest and convergence in recent history. Hundreds of thousands of people are coming to DC this weekend to take part in a number of different activities, including a march at the White House on Saturday morning, a two-day Peace & Justice Festival, and congressional lobby and nonviolent direct action at the White House on Monday.
If you are going to DC and need assistance, please contact us at 401-521-3584. Stay safe!
For more information on the activities planned for Saturday, September 24, through Monday, September 26, please visit United for Peace and Justice.
AFSC SENE will be sending out daily reports from DC over the course of the weekend.
The AFSC office will be open on an emergency basis from Saturday until Tuesday. Please call 401-954-8960 if you need to speak to an AFSC staff person, or would like more information about what's going on in DC.