Some Pictures from Saturday (Click on any photo to enlarge)

More Thoughts...

I'm always surprised that people are still coming because they read the article in the News Herald, since it was published weeks ago. I'm amazed that people come from miles away to stand with us. (Hi Mike and Carmen!) I'm humbled that people stop by to show their support and tell us their stories.

More than once we've had members of the military who have served in Iraq - and one Marine wife - come by to encourage us to keep protesting. One young man said that he will be going back to Iraq soon. What can you say to him? I'm sorry? I'm sorry that the trust you placed in your leadership, which should never, ever put you into harms way lightly, has failed you? I'm sorry that the media didn't ask the questions they should have before we sent you to war?

In the end I can really only apologize for my own actions, and the fact is, I wasn't in the streets back then. I should have been, and I wasn't. I knew it was wrong. I watched the news makers breathlessly prepare us for "shock and awe," and I knew we were making a huge mistake. I stayed largely mute. For that, I am sorry. It would have been a lot harder to speak out then, because people were largely convinced, thanks to a complicit media, that what we were doing was just. By not doing anything at the time, I was part of the problem. I hope now to be a part of the solution - join me?

Thoughts from a protestor

Today Saturday July 28 th from noon to 1:00 we stood on the corner of Fort and Oak holding signs about ending the occupation in Iraq. I have been there about 6 times since my sister (poe) began this protest. The times that I have attended I have met some wonderful people. Not everyone can make it every week but I am amazed at how many people have been there, if they all showed up on the same day we would have hundreds (my guess- post your guesses!).

The number of dead is sobering and each week we ask someone new to hold that sign. This week we had a family with three generations do the honor. Last week my sister Terree held the sign with the number and got tears in her eyes. To some the number of dead may just be a number, to some it may seem small compared to WWII. A friend of mine told me that really the number is not that bad, when you think about it. I told him it IS WORSE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT! To those people I say- every number was someones son or daughter, mother or father, friend, etc... The scary part is that number does not include the physically and emotionally wounded and traumatized.

We had some nice people stop by today on their motorcycle, they had patches on their vest of two people they have lost. The gentleman had served in Iraq and was from Lincoln Park, he lost many friends. Why don't people seem to care? Is it because the number doesn't touch them personally? Is it because we don't have a draft? Because Lindsy Lohan and Paris Hilton are more "FUN" to talk about? Because it has gone on so long that we forgot about it? (Please comment about what you think)

The response is overwhelmingly positive to our signs, it really feels good to know so many people are against this war! Sure we have a few people who flip us off and call us names. I try not to let the small number of people get to me. Today we had a well informed young man (not) who climbed out of his window, and yelled "why impeach a guy who is only in office for 4 more months?" I think he missed too many social studies classes. I sure hope someone helps him out with that!

Some people asked today about who sponsors the protest, some of the people are members of the Wyandotte Democratic Club, I am a part of The Catholic Peace Fellowship (you may want to sign the petition at the following web site to show your support for ending this war: http://www.catholicsforanend.org/). Some people read about it in the News Herald or from friends and family. You DO NOT have to be a part of any group to join us! You just have to care about ending the war! We support the troops and want them home!

Bring a sign, use one of ours, or bring your flag (like one of our Marine Vets who is there every week), or just come and stand with us for one hour. It may not seem like much but the people that see us think about what is being done in our name, they talk about it to their car mates, and maybe they stop by on a Saturday afternooon and stand with us for just an hour. We will continue to be there rain or shine until our troops come home! Hope to see you there some time!

I look forward to your feedback- comment, share what you think!

Had Enough?

Join The Young Turks ~ ENOUGH!

Click on the DFA link above and read about the ENOUGH! events started by The Young Turks radio program (1310am from 6am-9am Monday-Friday here in the Detroit area.) Our protest isn't listed there, for the moment anyway, because we meet on Saturdays and the national ENOUGH! rallies are on Sundays. And of course our protests are a little different because our purpose is to stand for an end to the U.S. Occupation of Iraq. The concept is the same, though: Meet for an hour at the same time each week in the town square with like-minded people, and stand up for what you believe in.

If you have friends or relatives in other states, pass it on and ask them to join a local group or start one of their own. If you know of anyone, anywhere, who would like to get involved but doesn't know where to start, get this information to them. It's simple, it's doable, and if enough of us participate, potentially very effective. We have to keep pushing back every way we can.

More Pics (Click on photos to enlarge)

This Week in Protesting...

We had a bigger crowd today, which seems to be the case every week. It would be truly amazing if one week everyone who has ever protested with us were to show up ~ there would be hundreds of people! Here's a few pics from today...I'll post more later.
(Click on any photo for a larger version.)

Hey, Young Dems ~ this is what you're up against!

Take a look inside the mind of today's College Republican,

then get to work!

Film by Max Blumenthal

Free Movie Passes Available for this Thursday ~ Radio Personalities Peter Werbe and Juline Jordan of WRIF to Moderate Post Film Discussion

You are cordially invited to a screening of the documentary film:
NO END IN SIGHT: The American Occupation of Iraq
Thursday, July 19 at 7:30 PM
Landmark's Main Art Theatre
118 North Main Street at 11 Mile
Royal Oak, MI
NIGHTCALL hosts Peter Werbe and Juline Jordan of WRIF will moderate a post-film discussion. I'm sure it will be an interesting evening. Lots of anti-war groups and individuals will be together in one place to exchange ideas and information, do some networking, and build our movement!

Follow this link to Peter's website to print out your free tickets or for more info: http://peterwerbe.com/

Please spread the word about this event to your anti-war friends, especially those who don't have access to a computer. If enough people are interested I'll be happy to make arrangements for multiple tickets for our group. Just let me know. I know it's on the other side of town, but I have a feeling it will be worth the drive, especially if we carpool. It's important that we connect with like-minded people when we have the chance, so let's take advantage of this great opportunity!

Peace

An Amazing Day (click on any photo for a larger view)

We had a terrific turnout today. Lots of new people heard about us from The News Herald article (thanks Jim!), from the mention we got on Nightcall, Peter Werbe's radio show (Sundays at 11pm 101FM WRIF ~ thanks Peter!), and by good old fashioned word of mouth. Thank you one and all for spreading the word!


I'll post some pictures from today for now, and ask that you listen to Peter's show tomorrow night, and if you're brave, give him a call. (He's actually quite nice!) Also, the next time you want a pizza or a killer salad, order from Andy's Pizza in Southgate. They have been delivering what we like to call "Peace Pizzas" to our group pretty consistently, and today they sent two. How cool is that?! Their number is 734-281-2920. The food is great and they deliver. Let's support those who support us!

If you needed motivation to come out and protest with us, Click Here

You have to watch this video. You just have to. Show it to everyone you know. It's not very long, but it's long enough to show us here at home what is happening in Iraq, to our troops, and to the Iraqi people. In our names. It's unbelievable.

Sean Smith of the Guardian spent two months embedded with U.S. troops in Baghdad and Anbar Province. No commentary necessary. Go watch it.

TAKIN' IT TO THE STREETS

Saturday's protest saw the largest turnout yet. At one point I counted 32 people, but I think a few more showed up after that. Others stopped by to show support and to ask for details, so we may have some newcomers next week. We need them. We need to be so big that our message can no longer be ignored. The vast majority of the country believes that it's time to bring our troops home. History tells us that war cannot be sustained if the public isn't solidly behind it. We're there now. I wonder when the Decider will pick up on that little factoid? Congress seems to slowly be moving in the right direction, but they're not there yet. How many more lives will be lost while they fiddle and diddle? Sigh. Help them along. Call them and tell them it's time to take serious action on Iraq. (Phone numbers listed on the right sidebar ~ scroll down.)

And so we plug along, doing our small part, hoping in our hearts that our actions will eventually pay off. Do what you can to recruit more people. If we each bring one new person we'll double our numbers. Let's try. Let's make it impossible for them to ignore us. (click on pictures to enlarge)

Just One Name

If you've been following the Wyandotte Protest, you know that last week we protested on Friday as well as Saturday. If you look at the pictures on the sidebar, you will see that each one features the total number of U.S. fatalities in Iraq at the end of that week, usually updated on Saturday mornings right before we meet. Last week I updated the number on Friday evening, to 3,577, and then again on Saturday, to 3,578. The difference of that last digit has been weighing heavily on my mind. I've been wondering about the person who lost their life between the time we protested on Friday and when I updated the number the next morning. Each number represents a life cut tragically short, a devastated family, and a bereft community. The enormity of that is hard to grasp, which is why we update the number and post the pictures here. But I was curious about the one person whose death necessitated the changing of my sign from one day to the next. Here's what I learned:

He was Specialist James Lee Adair, 26, a U.S. army infantryman from Carthage, Texas. He was recently married, and expecting his first child in September. He was killed on June 29, 2007 after his vehicle struck an explosive.

His death will affect so many peoples' lives, not the least that of his unborn daughter. But he's only one. There are so many others, every one as important as the next. Each and every death is tragic. I'm sorry, James Lee Adair of Carthage, Texas, that we didn't end this in time for you. We hope to do better by your brothers-and-sisters-in-arms.

RIP

Independence Day

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world." (emphasis mine)

Click on title to read the document in full at The National Archives.

It amazes me that these words, penned hundreds of years ago, are so relevant today. These men didn't know in advance the outcome of their experiment, yet they put everything on the line to do what was right.

Congress, tell me again why impeachment is off the table?