Prove the Intensity of Anti-War Sentiment on October 27

A clear majority of the people of this country want decisive steps to end the Iraq war now, not years from now, as the Pentagon is planning. As the Christian Science Monitor noted recently, the public reached its verdict on the Iraq war long ago, and hasn’t been swayed by President Bush’s speeches or the proclamations of his generals that success is around the corner.

Unfortunately, that majority opinion has not yet translated into effective action by the Congress. As has become abundantly clear, poor poll numbers and approval ratings are not enough to bring about the end of an illegal, immoral war and occupation. September, which was supposed to be the big turning point for Congress on Iraq, is looking a lot like July and March, when near-unanimous Republican congressional opposition and the lack of unanimous Democratic congressional fortitude prevented effective action. To force a decisive change in government policy, we have to make the antiwar majority more active, more visible, more difficult to ignore. We have to stand up vigorously against the cynicism that says: there is nothing we can do.

On October 27, people across the United States will step forward to do just that. Gathering in 11 cities - Boston , Chicago, Jonesborough, Tenn., Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Seattle — the people will demonstrate that opposition to the Iraq war’s continuation and Congress’ failure to end it is strong and ready to take action in every corner of the country.

Regional demonstrations are a key tool for making participation more accessible to the many. They don’t require a huge commitment of time and resources to participate. A substantial proportion of the U.S. population lives within a few hours of these 11 cities by train, bus, or car. Fifteen percent of the U.S. population - more than 40 million people - live in the “Northeast Corridor” that includes Boston, Philadelphia, and New York. Some 25 million, another ten percent, live in the vicinity of Los Angeles and San Francisco. Another 10 million live in the Chicago area. More than 10 million live in eastern Texas, within a day’s drive of New Orleans. Many of these folks can attend a regional demonstration on October 27 without taking off work, making child care arrangements, finding a place to stay or shelling out a lot of money.

Regional demonstrations are also more likely to generate diverse media coverage.

But the main issue is participation. Most of the anti-war majority is not active, and may have never attended an anti-war demonstration. We need to turn them on and turn them out. Attending a public rally is an entry-level political activity. It doesn’t require confidence in public speaking, facility with writing, familiarity with political events. It just requires an ability to stand or sit, walk or roll, hold a sign or wear one - something most people know that they have.

So, check your calendar. What are you doing on October 27? If you’re not planning to attend a regional demonstration against the war, what’s holding you back? A bus from your community may already be organized - check the links above. If not, organize your own carload or rent a van and split expenses. Talk your best friend into going. Recruit someone you know who has never attended a demonstration, or who hasn’t been to one in a while. Get the social concerns committee of your religious institution or your labor union political action committee involved. It might be easier than you think - your national denomination or labor union may already be a sponsor.

Participating in public demonstrations is good for you. It’s fun, it’s satisfying, you meet wonderful people, it improves your physical and mental health. It’s a great adventure. And mounting effective public demonstrations against the war is our moral responsibility.

Robert Naiman is Senior Policy Analyst and National Coordinator at Just Foreign Policy. Susan Chenelle is Internet Coordinator at United for Peace and Justice.

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30 Comments so far

JConrad October 3rd, 2007 11:48 am

STOP THE IRAQ HOLOCAUST !

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE must be linked with BOYCOTTS of MILITARY and OIL INDUSTRIES !

countess October 3rd, 2007 12:36 pm

I hope you put some energy into convincing democrats not to support the warmongering Hillary Clinton. She must be stopped before she has the power to start the next war which she surely will.

keyinside October 3rd, 2007 1:02 pm

What is the point of protesting when neither the democrats nor the republicans support ending the war?

WTF October 3rd, 2007 1:05 pm

Gee, conspicuously absent is the ONLY city that counts: Washington DC.

Good luck folks. Until the burning and looting starts, there will be no change, just SNAFU.

Robert Naiman October 3rd, 2007 1:26 pm

The third paragraph should read:

Gathering in 11 cities - Boston , Chicago, Jonesborough, Tenn., Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Seattle — the people will demonstrate that opposition to the Iraq war’s continuation and Congress’ failure to end it is strong and ready to take action in every corner of the country.

The web site for Orlando is:
http://www.oct27.org/orlando

cindysheehan October 3rd, 2007 1:32 pm

I am fully supportive of any effort to stop the war, but I think marching, or rallying anywhere on a Saturday is useless. I will never again march on a Saturday.

For the Sept 15th ANSWER rally/march/die-in there were 100,000 people on a Saturday. We would only need about 5000 on a weekday in DC to shut the city down and do some real CD that will be effective.

Also, I am calling for a Peace Summit on MLK,Jr day in San Francisco to get all thepeace groups together to work together to share resources and to present a semi-united front to the murderers in DC.

Love
Cindy

Paranoid Pessimist October 3rd, 2007 1:33 pm

WTF says: “Until the burning and looting starts, there will be no change, just SNAFU.” But when the burning and looting starts all dissenters will go the way of the Branch Dividians.

Ron October 3rd, 2007 1:44 pm

A clear majority wants to end the war? Not if St. Petersburg, Florida is typical. I copied and pasted the letters that follow from today’s St. Pete Times. These are comments posted in response to a pro-troops article of the type published over and over by the Times in its attempts to portray this war as a noble cause. Here goes:

by Lana 10/02/07 09:19 AM
My brother-in-law is most likely in this group. I am ever so proud of him. We are blessed to have each of the people in our services! Thank you for printing such an article for us to read the REAL thoughts & them wanting us to pray for them.

by tina 10/02/07 07:51 AM
thank you,my nephew is in Mosul, i toch base with hin every am.however there are thousands of families who dont have that option,Now with your letter and letters like it, they can get a real time picture of th good our troops are doing.God bless you!

by Staff Sergeant 10/02/07 07:32 AM
Well said Lt. Col Crider and Americans everywhere respect you and your troops courage and sacrifice. It is truly unfortunate that it is because this war was started illegally and while we support the troops, Americans no longer support the war.

by Arturo 10/02/07 07:10 AM
Why isn’t this kind of story in the news(especially NBC. The only soldiers they show are soldiers kicking doors in and shooting their weapons. I have not seen even one NBC report showing the soldiers good side, like giving candy to the Iraqi children

by Rick 10/01/07 03:08 PM
Yes, thank you for my freedom. God bless each and every one of you!

by ANNE 10/01/07 09:26 AM
THANK YOU TO EVERY SOLDIER FIGHTING TO KEEP OUR COUNTRY SAFE. AND SHAME TO THE POLITICIANS WHO WILL NOT LET YOU FIGHT THE WAR TO WIN. AND DEFINITELY SHAME TO THE PRESS WHO FILL THE AIRWAYS AND PAGES WITH DELIBERATE FALSEHOODS. WE ARE AT WAR-GOT IT?

by alan 10/01/07 08:16 AM
alan again ,we could call it the daily letter..and just one a day for us to read..it really does tell us how our brothers are feeling and gives us joy to know that they are doing good, i promise that i will read daily for ever…loyal reader me,

by alan 10/01/07 08:14 AM
dear mr allison, this is great for americans to read,it reading like this that keeps us together,,could u make this daily ???? instead of the best places to eat in pasco,,i find this to be much better,,,thanks .

by amf 001 10/01/07 08:11 AM
if you take a life to save a life,,then lets take many,,,thanks for your loyalty to america, Im just afraid that the way your going about doing it ,it going to take many ,many yrs,,and lives,lets get ben ladin soon,thats who i want dead or alive,

by Jon 10/01/07 07:10 AM
Thank you to LTC Crider and all his troops as well as the rest of the troops defending freedom so far away from their families. I know most of them joined for reasons other than to be heroes, but heroes are what they are…each and every one.

by Jim 10/01/07 06:50 AM
Mike, I am even more ashamed of this newspaper for cherry picking the letters they get.It seems the Times only wants reader response if it fits their general guidelines, their take on truth, or what it is they think the masses want to see.How tragic!

by Bill 10/01/07 12:35 AM
LTC Crider, I am US Army retired and it is very encouraging to hear your postitive comments from the front lines. I have long since stopped watching the idiots on the drive-by media and instead look to our armed forces for the real story. God bless!

by Jack 09/30/07 11:40 PM
Glad the Times saw the value of this story. Seems the other rag doesnt feel the same. I recently sent to them to tell of meeting with President Bush at the white house with 900 vets and parents of kids killed who wanted us to stay, but no print seen.

by Tonya 09/30/07 06:52 PM
Good job!!! Each and every one of you are deserving of the highest praise and regard. My prayers are with you.

by Brian 09/30/07 06:35 PM
I love our soldiers. They are winning this difficult and frustrating war. They deserve our undivided support and prayers

by Erwin 09/30/07 06:34 PM
For some reason, the media in general will not concede that many ordinary Iraqis, on the basis of personal experience, respect and appreciate the U.S. troops and their work there. Perhaps this is because the journalists themselves don’t.

by Joseph 09/30/07 02:56 PM
Thank God for Col Jim and his fine young soldiers. And thanks to Allison at St Petersburg Times for reporting good news from Iraq. Most of the media would prefer to look for a story which is critical of America or our fine military people.

Tampa Bay - land of the deep thinkers. How blessed I am to live among these perceptive people! And to think that I thought this war was nothing but an ongoing war crime, a crime against humanity. I didn’t know our troops are passing out candy to Iraqi kids! That makes everything OK, doesn’t it?

j anthony October 3rd, 2007 2:26 pm

Thanks for organizing and publicizing Oct. 27.

WTF October 3rd, 2007 2:34 pm

Paranoid Pessimist wrote: But when the burning and looting starts all dissenters will go the way of the Branch Dividians.

Thomas Jefferson previously said to William Smith in 1787:
And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms… The tree of Liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants.

So be it.

zxvtrp October 3rd, 2007 2:37 pm

What we need to do is make sure Mike Gravel is elected president. He wants to make us U.S. citizens the 4th branch of government. We could override all vetos and pass our own laws.

christopher.hostnik October 3rd, 2007 3:02 pm

Until more people give a shit about what goes on outside there 1/4 acre bubble of “freedom”, the 4 brach of government will just end up working like congress. People are just too dumb in this country to band together and stand for a common moral ground. If people don’t have to know…they won’t seek the truth. And until our bias is iradicated from the media, once again our decisions not carry much weight. All i can invision from a 4th branch is another 50-50 vote, 50% actually caring about the cause, the other 50% basing their vote off of the news they saw this morning while drinking there coffee. I myself will be at the Boston Rally so hopefully i will see some of your there. I myself am not great at getting my point across, so please….feedback

Robert Naiman October 3rd, 2007 3:05 pm

to cindysheehan, who writes:

“I am fully supportive of any effort to stop the war, but I think marching, or rallying anywhere on a Saturday is useless. I will never again march on a Saturday.”

I accept that you are given to a certain rhetorical flourish, but while I certainly empathize with your frustration about marching in DC on Saturday (having done that many times) I would caution against extrapolating that to all marches in all places on all Saturdays.

Other folks can speak up for other cities; marching in Chicago on Saturday is great. There will be plenty of people around. These marches are not just directed to politicians and news media; they are also directed to our fellow citizens.

love,
RN

P.S. Even in DC, sometimes people march through the neighborhoods on Saturday instead of marching through the empty streets around the Capitol. Something worth considering for the future.

Kristina40 October 3rd, 2007 3:17 pm

LOL Ron, your paper sounds like a progressive mecca compared to the one here in Panama City! Maybe it’s just a Florida thing…

MtnGoat October 3rd, 2007 3:29 pm

Another shot at mob rule, huh? Why bother to elect people to to apply their judgement on matters if you then turn around and then refuse to accept it?

coco October 3rd, 2007 4:14 pm

CHRISTOPHER.HOSTNIK

you are right about the fact that if people do not need to know, they will not seek the truth. but their bubble might just burst at any time and they will be sorry they weren’t forewarned.
the human lcd was amazing. how the hell did they do that? wonder how long it took them to practice to get it right………..wow………..

Dichterfreund October 3rd, 2007 4:57 pm

“Another shot at mob rule”

Only tinpot self-proclaimed’ elites’ dismiss the people as a ‘mob’ — and the mob, when they actually have had enough & recognize the impotence of the vile little minority, treat them expeditiously and with the sort of justice they have earned.

Unfortunately, Useless & Farcical Parody of Justice will continue to function as a damper on actual justice.

C.f. “Virtue & Terror”, ed. Slavoj Zizek, texts by Robespierre.

COMarc October 3rd, 2007 5:05 pm

There’s this constant delusion on the left. There’s always this constant myth that our politicians really want to do what we want them to do, but they just aren’t hearing us. If you just call your congressman’s office to express your view, or write a letter to the editor then suddenly the world will change.

The cold hard facts are that neither the Democrats or the Republicans care what you think. Neither will care how many people come to a demonstration. Their ‘constituents’ are the people who donate millions of dollars to their campaigns and who give them the soft lobbyists jobs when they leave Congress. If you aren’t in that class, you could jump around naked on the Washington Mall for a week protesting the war and they still won’t care what you think.

Same for the media. They have no intention to report news that would reflect negatively on the corporate bottom line. So when GE, a large defense contractor, owns NBC, it just doesn’t matter how many people come to a demonstration. NBC is going to report in a way that’s profitable to GE. Period.

This whole article is infused with that delusion. The author’s never really say why they think a big turnout at an antiwar demonstration will change anything. What’s the mechanism? What do they think will actually happen to create change? Is Pelosi or Bush going to come to work on Monday and say ‘wow, there were 500,000 people on the Mall Saturday, we’ve got to end this war today.” Not very likely. Both already know 70% of Americans oppose this war.

I think Cindy is dead right in that a march on a Saturday will do absolutely nothing. The only way this has an impact is when it interrupts business as usual. When business grinds to a halt in cities across the nation because the streets are tied up with millions of protesters on a MONDAY, then it will get noticed. Especially if everyone knows that everyone will be back on TUESDAY, and then on WEDNESDAY until something changes.

You are facing a broken political system. The antiwar movement is already the most successful in history as its already convinced 70% of Americans to agree with the anti-war position. The problem is a broken political process that will not acknowledge and respect the will of 70% of the people. You’ve got to fix that broken political system first … then the will of 70% of Americans can have an impact.

jakenewton October 3rd, 2007 5:11 pm

“Only tinpot self-proclaimed’ elites’ dismiss the people as a ‘mob’ — and the mob, ”

Even when “the people” burn and loot?

curmudgeon99 October 3rd, 2007 5:57 pm

What do you expect in a country that ignored the UN declared “International Day of Non-Violence”, on Gandhi’s birthday, Monday, October 2nd?

and I’ll bet most people do not know about the “Interfaith Fast to End the War in Iraq” scheduled for next week 10/7 & 10/8 in churches, synagogues, and mosques near you I
The MSM has ignored the call. (surprise!)

BUT, I’ll bet many religious organizations have planned events NEAR YOU!
Remember MLK’s greatest support came from truly believing congregations!

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2507/event/index.jsp?event_KEY=31274

Interfaith Fast to End the War in Iraq
About
We call on all Americans to join in fasting from dawn to dusk on Monday, October 8, to call for an end to the Iraq War. On this day, people of faith in local communities across our nation will act as catalysts to transform the meaning of the day from one of conquest to community and from violence to reverence.

Why:

This war must end!

We must end the shattering of Iraqi and American lives by offering American generosity and support ? but not control ? for international and nongovernmental efforts to assist Iraqis in making peace and rebuilding their country, while swiftly and safely bringing home all American troops.

Just as Isaiah called the People Israel to hear the Yom Kippur fast as God’s call to feed the hungry, just as Jesus fasted in the wilderness, just as Christians through Lenten fasting and Muslims through Ramadan fasting have focused on spiritual transformation, just as Mohandas Gandhi, Cesar Chavez and others drew on fasting to change the course of history, so we call on all our communities of faith to draw now on fasting as a path toward inner spiritual transformation and outward social transformation.

American culture, society, and policy are addicted to violence at home and overseas. In our time, the hope of a decent future is endangered by an unnecessary, morally abhorrent, and disastrous war.

Ending this war can become the first step toward a policy that embodies a deeper, broader sense of generosity and community at home and in the world.

Who:

Millions of faithful Americans in local communities across the nation who believe in changing the course of our nation?s priorities from conquest to community and from violence to reverence.

This fall, in an unusual convergence, many of our faith traditions share a season of sacred self-assessment and self-transformation. This holy season includes the month of Ramadan and the Night of Power (Islam); the High Holy Days and Sukkot (Judaism); the Feast Day of Francis of Assisi and Worldwide Communion Sunday (Christianity) and Pavarana / Sangha Day (Buddhism).

Since each of our traditions recognizes the power of fasting as a spiritual discipline, we call on all people of faith to join in a fast from dawn to dusk on Monday, October 8.

How:

Pre-Events:

During the months of August and September, we will prepare and publicize educational material that religious leaders can use to prepare their congregations to:
1. appropriately relate with religious communities other than their own, and
2. learn the spiritual discipline of fasting as a transformational exercise, making clear the distinction between transformational fasting and the abusive use of fasting for the sake of a false sense of beauty and body-image
We invite individuals or small groups to begin the discipline by fasting one day a week, in the months prior to October 8.
Sundown, Sunday, October 7: Gather in intentionally interfaith events across the United States to pray and to break bread together.
On Monday, October 8th

Have a simple meal before dawn, committing to fast throughout the day as a sign of your commitment to move our core values from conquest to community and from violence to reverence.
While fasting, many of us in cities as New York, Chicago, San Francisco and in local communities across the United States will take part in public vigils, inviting community leaders and elected officials and candidates for the presidency to join us as we commit to take immediate action to end the war. In Washington DC, religious leaders will gather to fast together and engage in a public action to draw attention to the nation-wide events that will take place that day.
At sunset: We will eat together once again to break bread in public places as a sign of our commitment to work together for peace and an end to violence. This shared meal will be a sign of our covenant with one another ? as individuals and as communities - to stand against the war in Iraq, and to work with one another to stand against violence in our communities and around the world. (Communities should be aware that for Muslims, later in the evening there will be large-scale gatherings for the Night of Power, commemorating the first revelation of the Quran. Shared break-fast meals should be scheduled so as to take account of these gatherings.)

canuckchuck October 3rd, 2007 6:41 pm

Why waste your time? Its LONG past the time for peaceful protest.

The US government didn’t pay attention to the MILLIONS who marched against the invasion before the war, and they won’t pay any attention to you now.

The Dems were voted in to end the war, and have turned into Bush’s biggest enablers.

Marching didn’t work; voting did’t work…time for a new strategy.

alembic two October 3rd, 2007 6:53 pm

MtnGoat -

Would you have applied the same rote legalistic principle to what Hitler began to do, after he was elected Chancellor of Germany?

Do you think that elections (especially fraud-tainted) automatically trump moral law?

If you and I can agree that human moral law disallows initiation of physical force in the absence of documentable in-kind provocation, then we should be able to agree that America’s elected leader have violated that moral law in the case of Iraq — and that, while our leader still hold office, we citizens who uphold such supervening Law, have every right - nay, Obligation, to harrass them, disempower them, and call them to account.

fubarica October 3rd, 2007 9:07 pm

I don’t think public demonstrations do any good, because, as others have pointed out, no one in office cares. Their agenda is not our agenda. Also, it’s dangerous - no point in crossing paths with police. Not any more. What really needs to happen is an organized national boycott of the companies that are keeping the war afloat, and all international businesses, oil companies, and banks. Boycott all big box stores, and every company that outsources our jobs. Keep your money in your own community, with private independent family/locally owned stores. Money is all the ruling class understands - it’s all they care about. Even if you don’t have or spend much, it all adds up. And if you want to do a RADICAL, meaningful demonstration, agree to a national labor walk-out, in which nobody at all shows up to work. That would get their attention.

ariston October 4th, 2007 12:52 am

Protests ‘made in USA’. They disrupt nothing. They’re a tool for marketing the cause and they provide a mechanism for people to gather together and convert some of their emotions into ’something’. I have participated in anti-war protests and will continue to do so. But I am cognizant of the fact that today’s protests disrupt nothing. And if nothing is disrupted, why should anything change?

lover of peace October 4th, 2007 1:10 am

As many have said, the only thing which will likely have any effect on those in power, ie the multinational corporations and their lackeys in Congress, is to have a nationwide boycott/strike. Unless they are made to feel it in their bottom lines this madness will continue. I will continue to participate in vigils and demonstrations regularly however. I will be at the gates of Ft Lewis next week when the military intends to retry Lt Watada, even though his appeal to federal court has not yet been decided on the issue of double jeopardy. There are so many horrible, immoral, illegal actions being taken by our government, we must continue to protest and struggle.

pacplyer October 4th, 2007 4:05 am

You heard Cindy,

You heard it Robert,

A NATIONAL STRIKE against the Fortune 500 is all that’s going to work.

Or if you prefer: an SOS (suspension of Services) if you are worried that the word strike will alienate frustrated neocons who are ready to defect but still adhore anything with the word Union in it.

How about it?

yours,

pacplyer

pacplyer October 4th, 2007 4:11 am

my apologies for the following repost guys:

KNOW YOUR ENEMY

1. Writing letters to Congressman doesn’t work anymore, we tried. Washington does’t work for us. They work for corporate America.

2. Protesting at D.C. doesn’t work anymore: most protests don’t work since the Media is owned by those corps and ignores it.

3. Civil disobedience on the streets is coming, they know it, they’ve built 800 FEMA prisons for you.

4. A National Strike is all that is left. You must prepare now. Don’t buy anything; hoard the cash for food later.

YOUR ENEMY IS NOT a CONGRESSIONAL PUPPET OR THE PRESIDENT. YOUR ENEMY IS Callous, Greedy CEO’s of the Fortune-500. (the theatrical: “man behind the curtain.”)

Sitting in your house blogging and convincing fellow frustrated citizens to entertain the idea of staying home from work with the “Blue Flu” in huge numbers will cripple your Enemy: . If a quarter of the workforce stays home it will bring the Fortune 500 to it’s knees. And in the South, those boys are armed to the teeth; so forget about the sheriff showing up to pull you out of your house and force you to work!

We must take to the Republicrat websites and get our frustrated citizens on board.

This could work. It has worked at job sites throughout American Union history.

Say the Words: NATIONAL STRIKE

on your side baby,

pac

marlee October 4th, 2007 8:42 am

PLEASE add Orlando!
Orlando is one of 11 cities and will be the biggest!

jakenewton October 4th, 2007 9:26 am

“they’ve built 800 FEMA prisons ”

Citation please? Thank you.

j anthony October 4th, 2007 12:37 pm

I think Robert and Susan’s title makes a good point. Congresspeople will continue to vote to serve their donors rather than the voters they represent in their districts at least until the scale and moral intensity of opposition are demonstrated in a way that cannot be ignored.

The 06 voter turnout was about 132 million (60% of about 221 million eligible voters). If over half of just the registered voters are really against this war, that’s over 66 million people. Could even 25 million people in the U.S. turn out on one day across the country to demonstrate?

I don’t think that acts by a few can make up for the lack of commitment and participation by the many. The intensity needed to make a change is millions. Oct 27 seems like a good framework and step now.

JConrad October 3rd, 2007 11:48 am

STOP THE IRAQ HOLOCAUST !

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE must be linked with BOYCOTTS of MILITARY and OIL INDUSTRIES !
countess October 3rd, 2007 12:36 pm

I hope you put some energy into convincing democrats not to support the warmongering Hillary Clinton. She must be stopped before she has the power to start the next war which she surely will.
keyinside October 3rd, 2007 1:02 pm

What is the point of protesting when neither the democrats nor the republicans support ending the war?
WTF October 3rd, 2007 1:05 pm

On October 27, people across the United States will step forward to do just that. Gathering in 11 cities - Boston , Chicago, Jonesborough, Tenn., Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Seattle

Gee, conspicuously absent is the ONLY city that counts: Washington DC.

Good luck folks. Until the burning and looting starts, there will be no change, just SNAFU.
Robert Naiman October 3rd, 2007 1:26 pm

The third paragraph should read:

Gathering in 11 cities - Boston , Chicago, Jonesborough, Tenn., Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Seattle — the people will demonstrate that opposition to the Iraq war’s continuation and Congress’ failure to end it is strong and ready to take action in every corner of the country.

The web site for Orlando is:
http://www.oct27.org/orlando
cindysheehan October 3rd, 2007 1:32 pm

I am fully supportive of any effort to stop the war, but I think marching, or rallying anywhere on a Saturday is useless. I will never again march on a Saturday.

For the Sept 15th ANSWER rally/march/die-in there were 100,000 people on a Saturday. We would only need about 5000 on a weekday in DC to shut the city down and do some real CD that will be effective.

Also, I am calling for a Peace Summit on MLK,Jr day in San Francisco to get all thepeace groups together to work together to share resources and to present a semi-united front to the murderers in DC.

Love
Cindy
Paranoid Pessimist October 3rd, 2007 1:33 pm

WTF says: “Until the burning and looting starts, there will be no change, just SNAFU.” But when the burning and looting starts all dissenters will go the way of the Branch Dividians.
Ron October 3rd, 2007 1:44 pm

A clear majority wants to end the war? Not if St. Petersburg, Florida is typical. I copied and pasted the letters that follow from today’s St. Pete Times. These are comments posted in response to a pro-troops article of the type published over and over by the Times in its attempts to portray this war as a noble cause. Here goes:

by Lana 10/02/07 09:19 AM
My brother-in-law is most likely in this group. I am ever so proud of him. We are blessed to have each of the people in our services! Thank you for printing such an article for us to read the REAL thoughts & them wanting us to pray for them.

by tina 10/02/07 07:51 AM
thank you,my nephew is in Mosul, i toch base with hin every am.however there are thousands of families who dont have that option,Now with your letter and letters like it, they can get a real time picture of th good our troops are doing.God bless you!

by Staff Sergeant 10/02/07 07:32 AM
Well said Lt. Col Crider and Americans everywhere respect you and your troops courage and sacrifice. It is truly unfortunate that it is because this war was started illegally and while we support the troops, Americans no longer support the war.

by Arturo 10/02/07 07:10 AM
Why isn’t this kind of story in the news(especially NBC. The only soldiers they show are soldiers kicking doors in and shooting their weapons. I have not seen even one NBC report showing the soldiers good side, like giving candy to the Iraqi children

by Rick 10/01/07 03:08 PM
Yes, thank you for my freedom. God bless each and every one of you!

by ANNE 10/01/07 09:26 AM
THANK YOU TO EVERY SOLDIER FIGHTING TO KEEP OUR COUNTRY SAFE. AND SHAME TO THE POLITICIANS WHO WILL NOT LET YOU FIGHT THE WAR TO WIN. AND DEFINITELY SHAME TO THE PRESS WHO FILL THE AIRWAYS AND PAGES WITH DELIBERATE FALSEHOODS. WE ARE AT WAR-GOT IT?

by alan 10/01/07 08:16 AM
alan again ,we could call it the daily letter..and just one a day for us to read..it really does tell us how our brothers are feeling and gives us joy to know that they are doing good, i promise that i will read daily for ever…loyal reader me,

by alan 10/01/07 08:14 AM
dear mr allison, this is great for americans to read,it reading like this that keeps us together,,could u make this daily ???? instead of the best places to eat in pasco,,i find this to be much better,,,thanks .

by amf 001 10/01/07 08:11 AM
if you take a life to save a life,,then lets take many,,,thanks for your loyalty to america, Im just afraid that the way your going about doing it ,it going to take many ,many yrs,,and lives,lets get ben ladin soon,thats who i want dead or alive,

by Jon 10/01/07 07:10 AM
Thank you to LTC Crider and all his troops as well as the rest of the troops defending freedom so far away from their families. I know most of them joined for reasons other than to be heroes, but heroes are what they are…each and every one.

by Jim 10/01/07 06:50 AM
Mike, I am even more ashamed of this newspaper for cherry picking the letters they get.It seems the Times only wants reader response if it fits their general guidelines, their take on truth, or what it is they think the masses want to see.How tragic!

by Bill 10/01/07 12:35 AM
LTC Crider, I am US Army retired and it is very encouraging to hear your postitive comments from the front lines. I have long since stopped watching the idiots on the drive-by media and instead look to our armed forces for the real story. God bless!

by Jack 09/30/07 11:40 PM
Glad the Times saw the value of this story. Seems the other rag doesnt feel the same. I recently sent to them to tell of meeting with President Bush at the white house with 900 vets and parents of kids killed who wanted us to stay, but no print seen.

by Tonya 09/30/07 06:52 PM
Good job!!! Each and every one of you are deserving of the highest praise and regard. My prayers are with you.

by Brian 09/30/07 06:35 PM
I love our soldiers. They are winning this difficult and frustrating war. They deserve our undivided support and prayers

by Erwin 09/30/07 06:34 PM
For some reason, the media in general will not concede that many ordinary Iraqis, on the basis of personal experience, respect and appreciate the U.S. troops and their work there. Perhaps this is because the journalists themselves don’t.

by Joseph 09/30/07 02:56 PM
Thank God for Col Jim and his fine young soldiers. And thanks to Allison at St Petersburg Times for reporting good news from Iraq. Most of the media would prefer to look for a story which is critical of America or our fine military people.

Tampa Bay - land of the deep thinkers. How blessed I am to live among these perceptive people! And to think that I thought this war was nothing but an ongoing war crime, a crime against humanity. I didn’t know our troops are passing out candy to Iraqi kids! That makes everything OK, doesn’t it?
j anthony October 3rd, 2007 2:26 pm

Thanks for organizing and publicizing Oct. 27.
WTF October 3rd, 2007 2:34 pm

Paranoid Pessimist wrote: But when the burning and looting starts all dissenters will go the way of the Branch Dividians.

Thomas Jefferson previously said to William Smith in 1787:
And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms… The tree of Liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants.

So be it.
zxvtrp October 3rd, 2007 2:37 pm

What we need to do is make sure Mike Gravel is elected president. He wants to make us U.S. citizens the 4th branch of government. We could override all vetos and pass our own laws.
christopher.hostnik October 3rd, 2007 3:02 pm

Until more people give a shit about what goes on outside there 1/4 acre bubble of “freedom”, the 4 brach of government will just end up working like congress. People are just too dumb in this country to band together and stand for a common moral ground. If people don’t have to know…they won’t seek the truth. And until our bias is iradicated from the media, once again our decisions not carry much weight. All i can invision from a 4th branch is another 50-50 vote, 50% actually caring about the cause, the other 50% basing their vote off of the news they saw this morning while drinking there coffee. I myself will be at the Boston Rally so hopefully i will see some of your there. I myself am not great at getting my point across, so please….feedback
Robert Naiman October 3rd, 2007 3:05 pm

to cindysheehan, who writes:

“I am fully supportive of any effort to stop the war, but I think marching, or rallying anywhere on a Saturday is useless. I will never again march on a Saturday.”

I accept that you are given to a certain rhetorical flourish, but while I certainly empathize with your frustration about marching in DC on Saturday (having done that many times) I would caution against extrapolating that to all marches in all places on all Saturdays.

Other folks can speak up for other cities; marching in Chicago on Saturday is great. There will be plenty of people around. These marches are not just directed to politicians and news media; they are also directed to our fellow citizens.

love,
RN

P.S. Even in DC, sometimes people march through the neighborhoods on Saturday instead of marching through the empty streets around the Capitol. Something worth considering for the future.
Kristina40 October 3rd, 2007 3:17 pm

LOL Ron, your paper sounds like a progressive mecca compared to the one here in Panama City! Maybe it’s just a Florida thing…
MtnGoat October 3rd, 2007 3:29 pm

Another shot at mob rule, huh? Why bother to elect people to to apply their judgement on matters if you then turn around and then refuse to accept it?
coco October 3rd, 2007 4:14 pm

CHRISTOPHER.HOSTNIK

you are right about the fact that if people do not need to know, they will not seek the truth. but their bubble might just burst at any time and they will be sorry they weren’t forewarned.
the human lcd was amazing. how the hell did they do that? wonder how long it took them to practice to get it right………..wow………..
Dichterfreund October 3rd, 2007 4:57 pm

“Another shot at mob rule”

Only tinpot self-proclaimed’ elites’ dismiss the people as a ‘mob’ — and the mob, when they actually have had enough & recognize the impotence of the vile little minority, treat them expeditiously and with the sort of justice they have earned.

Unfortunately, Useless & Farcical Parody of Justice will continue to function as a damper on actual justice.

C.f. “Virtue & Terror”, ed. Slavoj Zizek, texts by Robespierre.
COMarc October 3rd, 2007 5:05 pm

There’s this constant delusion on the left. There’s always this constant myth that our politicians really want to do what we want them to do, but they just aren’t hearing us. If you just call your congressman’s office to express your view, or write a letter to the editor then suddenly the world will change.

The cold hard facts are that neither the Democrats or the Republicans care what you think. Neither will care how many people come to a demonstration. Their ‘constituents’ are the people who donate millions of dollars to their campaigns and who give them the soft lobbyists jobs when they leave Congress. If you aren’t in that class, you could jump around naked on the Washington Mall for a week protesting the war and they still won’t care what you think.

Same for the media. They have no intention to report news that would reflect negatively on the corporate bottom line. So when GE, a large defense contractor, owns NBC, it just doesn’t matter how many people come to a demonstration. NBC is going to report in a way that’s profitable to GE. Period.

This whole article is infused with that delusion. The author’s never really say why they think a big turnout at an antiwar demonstration will change anything. What’s the mechanism? What do they think will actually happen to create change? Is Pelosi or Bush going to come to work on Monday and say ‘wow, there were 500,000 people on the Mall Saturday, we’ve got to end this war today.” Not very likely. Both already know 70% of Americans oppose this war.

I think Cindy is dead right in that a march on a Saturday will do absolutely nothing. The only way this has an impact is when it interrupts business as usual. When business grinds to a halt in cities across the nation because the streets are tied up with millions of protesters on a MONDAY, then it will get noticed. Especially if everyone knows that everyone will be back on TUESDAY, and then on WEDNESDAY until something changes.

You are facing a broken political system. The antiwar movement is already the most successful in history as its already convinced 70% of Americans to agree with the anti-war position. The problem is a broken political process that will not acknowledge and respect the will of 70% of the people. You’ve got to fix that broken political system first … then the will of 70% of Americans can have an impact.
jakenewton October 3rd, 2007 5:11 pm

“Only tinpot self-proclaimed’ elites’ dismiss the people as a ‘mob’ — and the mob, ”

Even when “the people” burn and loot?
curmudgeon99 October 3rd, 2007 5:57 pm

What do you expect in a country that ignored the UN declared “International Day of Non-Violence”, on Gandhi’s birthday, Monday, October 2nd?

and I’ll bet most people do not know about the “Interfaith Fast to End the War in Iraq” scheduled for next week 10/7 & 10/8 in churches, synagogues, and mosques near you I
The MSM has ignored the call. (surprise!)

BUT, I’ll bet many religious organizations have planned events NEAR YOU!
Remember MLK’s greatest support came from truly believing congregations!

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2507/event/index.jsp?event_KEY=31274

Interfaith Fast to End the War in Iraq
About
We call on all Americans to join in fasting from dawn to dusk on Monday, October 8, to call for an end to the Iraq War. On this day, people of faith in local communities across our nation will act as catalysts to transform the meaning of the day from one of conquest to community and from violence to reverence.

Why:

This war must end!

We must end the shattering of Iraqi and American lives by offering American generosity and support ? but not control ? for international and nongovernmental efforts to assist Iraqis in making peace and rebuilding their country, while swiftly and safely bringing home all American troops.

Just as Isaiah called the People Israel to hear the Yom Kippur fast as God’s call to feed the hungry, just as Jesus fasted in the wilderness, just as Christians through Lenten fasting and Muslims through Ramadan fasting have focused on spiritual transformation, just as Mohandas Gandhi, Cesar Chavez and others drew on fasting to change the course of history, so we call on all our communities of faith to draw now on fasting as a path toward inner spiritual transformation and outward social transformation.

American culture, society, and policy are addicted to violence at home and overseas. In our time, the hope of a decent future is endangered by an unnecessary, morally abhorrent, and disastrous war.

Ending this war can become the first step toward a policy that embodies a deeper, broader sense of generosity and community at home and in the world.

Who:

Millions of faithful Americans in local communities across the nation who believe in changing the course of our nation?s priorities from conquest to community and from violence to reverence.

This fall, in an unusual convergence, many of our faith traditions share a season of sacred self-assessment and self-transformation. This holy season includes the month of Ramadan and the Night of Power (Islam); the High Holy Days and Sukkot (Judaism); the Feast Day of Francis of Assisi and Worldwide Communion Sunday (Christianity) and Pavarana / Sangha Day (Buddhism).

Since each of our traditions recognizes the power of fasting as a spiritual discipline, we call on all people of faith to join in a fast from dawn to dusk on Monday, October 8.

How:

Pre-Events:

During the months of August and September, we will prepare and publicize educational material that religious leaders can use to prepare their congregations to:
1. appropriately relate with religious communities other than their own, and
2. learn the spiritual discipline of fasting as a transformational exercise, making clear the distinction between transformational fasting and the abusive use of fasting for the sake of a false sense of beauty and body-image
We invite individuals or small groups to begin the discipline by fasting one day a week, in the months prior to October 8.
Sundown, Sunday, October 7: Gather in intentionally interfaith events across the United States to pray and to break bread together.
On Monday, October 8th

Have a simple meal before dawn, committing to fast throughout the day as a sign of your commitment to move our core values from conquest to community and from violence to reverence.
While fasting, many of us in cities as New York, Chicago, San Francisco and in local communities across the United States will take part in public vigils, inviting community leaders and elected officials and candidates for the presidency to join us as we commit to take immediate action to end the war. In Washington DC, religious leaders will gather to fast together and engage in a public action to draw attention to the nation-wide events that will take place that day.
At sunset: We will eat together once again to break bread in public places as a sign of our commitment to work together for peace and an end to violence. This shared meal will be a sign of our covenant with one another ? as individuals and as communities - to stand against the war in Iraq, and to work with one another to stand against violence in our communities and around the world. (Communities should be aware that for Muslims, later in the evening there will be large-scale gatherings for the Night of Power, commemorating the first revelation of the Quran. Shared break-fast meals should be scheduled so as to take account of these gatherings.)
canuckchuck October 3rd, 2007 6:41 pm

Why waste your time? Its LONG past the time for peaceful protest.

The US government didn’t pay attention to the MILLIONS who marched against the invasion before the war, and they won’t pay any attention to you now.

The Dems were voted in to end the war, and have turned into Bush’s biggest enablers.

Marching didn’t work; voting did’t work…time for a new strategy.
alembic two October 3rd, 2007 6:53 pm

MtnGoat -

Would you have applied the same rote legalistic principle to what Hitler began to do, after he was elected Chancellor of Germany?

Do you think that elections (especially fraud-tainted) automatically trump moral law?

If you and I can agree that human moral law disallows initiation of physical force in the absence of documentable in-kind provocation, then we should be able to agree that America’s elected leader have violated that moral law in the case of Iraq — and that, while our leader still hold office, we citizens who uphold such supervening Law, have every right - nay, Obligation, to harrass them, disempower them, and call them to account.
fubarica October 3rd, 2007 9:07 pm

I don’t think public demonstrations do any good, because, as others have pointed out, no one in office cares. Their agenda is not our agenda. Also, it’s dangerous - no point in crossing paths with police. Not any more. What really needs to happen is an organized national boycott of the companies that are keeping the war afloat, and all international businesses, oil companies, and banks. Boycott all big box stores, and every company that outsources our jobs. Keep your money in your own community, with private independent family/locally owned stores. Money is all the ruling class understands - it’s all they care about. Even if you don’t have or spend much, it all adds up. And if you want to do a RADICAL, meaningful demonstration, agree to a national labor walk-out, in which nobody at all shows up to work. That would get their attention.
ariston October 4th, 2007 12:52 am

Protests ‘made in USA’. They disrupt nothing. They’re a tool for marketing the cause and they provide a mechanism for people to gather together and convert some of their emotions into ’something’. I have participated in anti-war protests and will continue to do so. But I am cognizant of the fact that today’s protests disrupt nothing. And if nothing is disrupted, why should anything change?
lover of peace October 4th, 2007 1:10 am

As many have said, the only thing which will likely have any effect on those in power, ie the multinational corporations and their lackeys in Congress, is to have a nationwide boycott/strike. Unless they are made to feel it in their bottom lines this madness will continue. I will continue to participate in vigils and demonstrations regularly however. I will be at the gates of Ft Lewis next week when the military intends to retry Lt Watada, even though his appeal to federal court has not yet been decided on the issue of double jeopardy. There are so many horrible, immoral, illegal actions being taken by our government, we must continue to protest and struggle.
pacplyer October 4th, 2007 4:05 am

You heard Cindy,

You heard it Robert,

A NATIONAL STRIKE against the Fortune 500 is all that’s going to work.

Or if you prefer: an SOS (suspension of Services) if you are worried that the word strike will alienate frustrated neocons who are ready to defect but still adhore anything with the word Union in it.

How about it?

yours,

pacplyer
pacplyer October 4th, 2007 4:11 am

my apologies for the following repost guys:

KNOW YOUR ENEMY

1. Writing letters to Congressman doesn’t work anymore, we tried. Washington does’t work for us. They work for corporate America.

2. Protesting at D.C. doesn’t work anymore: most protests don’t work since the Media is owned by those corps and ignores it.

3. Civil disobedience on the streets is coming, they know it, they’ve built 800 FEMA prisons for you.

4. A National Strike is all that is left. You must prepare now. Don’t buy anything; hoard the cash for food later.

YOUR ENEMY IS NOT a CONGRESSIONAL PUPPET OR THE PRESIDENT. YOUR ENEMY IS Callous, Greedy CEO’s of the Fortune-500. (the theatrical: “man behind the curtain.”)

Sitting in your house blogging and convincing fellow frustrated citizens to entertain the idea of staying home from work with the “Blue Flu” in huge numbers will cripple your Enemy: . If a quarter of the workforce stays home it will bring the Fortune 500 to it’s knees. And in the South, those boys are armed to the teeth; so forget about the sheriff showing up to pull you out of your house and force you to work!

We must take to the Republicrat websites and get our frustrated citizens on board.

This could work. It has worked at job sites throughout American Union history.

Say the Words: NATIONAL STRIKE

on your side baby,

pac
marlee October 4th, 2007 8:42 am

PLEASE add Orlando!
Orlando is one of 11 cities and will be the biggest!
jakenewton October 4th, 2007 9:26 am

“they’ve built 800 FEMA prisons ”

Citation please? Thank you.
j anthony October 4th, 2007 12:37 pm

I think Robert and Susan’s title makes a good point. Congresspeople will continue to vote to serve their donors rather than the voters they represent in their districts at least until the scale and moral intensity of opposition are demonstrated in a way that cannot be ignored.

The 06 voter turnout was about 132 million (60% of about 221 million eligible voters). If over half of just the registered voters are really against this war, that’s over 66 million people. Could even 25 million people in the U.S. turn out on one day across the country to demonstrate?

I don’t think that acts by a few can make up for the lack of commitment and participation by the many. The intensity needed to make a change is millions. Oct 27 seems like a good framework and step now.

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