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Mar. 20th, 2004 02:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
novapsycheI just got home from the peace protest. It was an energetic morning.
I was excited as we drove into Ann Arbor. I left my purse in my co-worker's trunk (silly me--it had my money and umbrella in it) and we walked up to where others were organizing. Everyone seemed to have a sign or button. There were the Raging Grannies--wise women against the war. Folk songs (what I'd call war filk) were sung. People clapped or banged on drums or shook noisemakers. I told my companions, "I wish I'd brought a sign!" Someone made mention of the Bush Pinocchio inflatable doll. It seemed everyone around us wanted it.
Of course, with no money I couldn't buy any buttons or T-shirts. Silly me. The peace buttons with the Arabic word peace written in the background were interesting.
We walked to a driving drum beat down several Ann Arbor roads which had been cordoned off by police. I consigned myself to people watching--two types, really. I would look at the others in the march: I noticed so many families, so many little children. I looked outside of the march, at the bystanders looking at us, the storeowners, the man in the barber shop. A woman passing by took a picture with her cell phone.
I distinctly remember a nugget of disgust when I had to maneuver around an SUV.
Handouts and petitions were the order of the day. Many sentiments had to do with Israel, Palestine and Spain. The war in Iraq, of course, was the reason we were there, and the white crosses and Stars of David on the Diag reminded us of the reason we were there. Organizers entreated us to be quiet from that point forward.
We were ushered onto tape that spelled out "No More War"--an aerial view of the message, spelled in human bodies, was taken. While we stood, singers sang spirituals, songs that really captured our attention.
We broke apart out of the letters. Then the Raging Grannies came back for more war filk, amidst cheers. A high school student representing a peace group spoke. Two U of M students spoke as well, which made me feel I was on Grinnell's campus.
Then it began to rain.
People seemed to scurry away after it started raining a little. We were entreated to stay for the last two speakers, one a mother of a son serving in Iraq, the other a man who was from that region and had family there. The man read a letter from his son. It began, "Hi! How are you? Things are getting worse and worse here." He was the best speaker of the event.
Then we retreated, because the rain really started in at that point.
On the way back to the car, we talked about the numbers dead in Iraq, the civilians, not the soldiers (10,000-15,000, if you're interested). We talked about how that's being kept off American airwaves. We talked about more related political issues. By the time we got on the freeway, the sun was out.
My day, so far, has been a good one.
I was excited as we drove into Ann Arbor. I left my purse in my co-worker's trunk (silly me--it had my money and umbrella in it) and we walked up to where others were organizing. Everyone seemed to have a sign or button. There were the Raging Grannies--wise women against the war. Folk songs (what I'd call war filk) were sung. People clapped or banged on drums or shook noisemakers. I told my companions, "I wish I'd brought a sign!" Someone made mention of the Bush Pinocchio inflatable doll. It seemed everyone around us wanted it.
Of course, with no money I couldn't buy any buttons or T-shirts. Silly me. The peace buttons with the Arabic word peace written in the background were interesting.
We walked to a driving drum beat down several Ann Arbor roads which had been cordoned off by police. I consigned myself to people watching--two types, really. I would look at the others in the march: I noticed so many families, so many little children. I looked outside of the march, at the bystanders looking at us, the storeowners, the man in the barber shop. A woman passing by took a picture with her cell phone.
I distinctly remember a nugget of disgust when I had to maneuver around an SUV.
Handouts and petitions were the order of the day. Many sentiments had to do with Israel, Palestine and Spain. The war in Iraq, of course, was the reason we were there, and the white crosses and Stars of David on the Diag reminded us of the reason we were there. Organizers entreated us to be quiet from that point forward.
We were ushered onto tape that spelled out "No More War"--an aerial view of the message, spelled in human bodies, was taken. While we stood, singers sang spirituals, songs that really captured our attention.
We broke apart out of the letters. Then the Raging Grannies came back for more war filk, amidst cheers. A high school student representing a peace group spoke. Two U of M students spoke as well, which made me feel I was on Grinnell's campus.
Then it began to rain.
People seemed to scurry away after it started raining a little. We were entreated to stay for the last two speakers, one a mother of a son serving in Iraq, the other a man who was from that region and had family there. The man read a letter from his son. It began, "Hi! How are you? Things are getting worse and worse here." He was the best speaker of the event.
Then we retreated, because the rain really started in at that point.
On the way back to the car, we talked about the numbers dead in Iraq, the civilians, not the soldiers (10,000-15,000, if you're interested). We talked about how that's being kept off American airwaves. We talked about more related political issues. By the time we got on the freeway, the sun was out.
My day, so far, has been a good one.
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(no subject)
Date: 2004-03-20 12:05 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-03-20 12:18 pm (UTC)I would have done to the Toronto protest, but I have to be at the Dojo today (my administration is needed) and the protests here tend to be a bit off-topic, since they usually get highjacked by OCAP or some other interested party.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-03-21 02:56 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-03-22 05:48 am (UTC)