Washblog

I'll get back to the puppet dramatics shortly, but first I'll present a photo gallery of the  events of Feb 5th near Ft. Lewis where Iraq war resister Ehren Watada is being subjected to a court-martial. I've divided that gallery into demonstrators, speakers, counter-demnstrators and puppet theater.  

As Chad Shue has related Freeway bloggers were making a statement at the overpass all day.

First I went to the "Youth Rally", featuring some very powerful speakers.

Darrell Anderson is the Iraq war resister who's been participating in the People's Tribunal that Pen and Noemie wrote about recently. An Interview with Darrel Anderson. He spoke very passionately about seeing 18-year-olds, before he went AWOL, shooting everyone in sight as they were told to, because they were just trying to survive.

Darrell introduced many other speakers, including his mom, a small woman with a strong voice, who looks more like his sister and sports a nose ring.

Actor Sean Penn spoke for only a couple of minutes, urging us to continue our support of war resisters. The man shooting a photo is an AP reporter. He also shot of photo of me and other demonstrators, and asked for my name, but I have no idea where that might be used.  

This man spoke with a very thick spanish accent which he called a "Boston accent" because that is where he had traveled from. He represented Gold Star families (who have lost a member because of Iraq) against the war. He said if his son had resisted like Lt. Watada, he might still be alive. I believe it is his son who had a memorial display nearby, and I'll show you that in a minute.

Darrell performed a rap with a backup band of other war vets (who suffered from PTSD, he told us). Several other protestors performed raps. This is a genre I generally have no liking for, but these raps were terrific. Many years ago someone told me he considered rap to be, not music, but street poetry. That made sense to me, because in general, it didn't fit my standard for music.  As impassioned poetry I loved the raps I heard today, though.

These were students from Renton high school who delivered an antiwar screed onstage and they said they have a band.

Augustin Aguayo is the husband and the son of these two women. He's a CO who is now jailed. Couragetoresist.org

This man told me that John Martin Bell was his brother.

The "three armies" quote is very good--I would like to draw it myself so it's bolder and easier to read, though.

I gave a sign to this young woman. She's collecting signatures to put an impeachment resolution in the the state legislature, as several other states are trying to do. Several counties, including King, passed such resolutions at the last caucuses, but they came to nothing at the WA State convention.

This man's antiwar passion has taken over his truck's back windshield, which could be dangerous; I don't recommend it.

This is me--my sign was much admired. Bold but simple!

No comment necessary.

These little girls were very shy.

This young woman and (her mother?) viewed the very sad memorial for a young man whose life ended in Iraq. Then they demonstrated on the street corner.

His letters from 2003 sound like that of an idealistic but somewhat confused young man under a lot of pressure, who enlisted right after high school and hopes he is doing something meaningful for his country, maybe even enobling.

THE COUNTER-DEMONSTRATORS

Always the "Islamofascists" coming after us--a constant theme--Al Queda, those who want to kill us all, whom the war resisters are in league with, or might as well be.

This chainsmoking winger in a spotless chamois fringed fashion statement seemed to be the leader of the counter-demonstrators. They had a truck which played "God Bless America" and other favorites.

Proud of all that. Nothing can put a dent in that pride, and their very pride is also a matter of pride.

They profess to revere the troops, except for the ones who resist a war. Those are cowardly scum, period.
The drivers seemed about half sympathetic to the pro-Watada signs. Others gave us the finger or thumbs-down--one woman shouted "Traitors!"

Can you spell "protesters"?

Some of the protesters engaged the wingers in conversation, something I'd rather not.
We had a diary here recenly discussing the guy who got a school board to take Al Gore's movie out of the school, and how such a person thinks. The rightwingers (the ones who haven't dropped off recently) seem similar to me. They're true believers, and it has not much to to with facts or even political ideology. They believe what they told to, and they're proud of their loyalty and   faith, like the devoted members of a strict, dogmatic church.

Here's a last shot I snapped as dusk fell. No comment...it always disheartens me more when it's a woman...

HIPPIE PUPPET THEATER
The hippies didn't look very old. Must be a new generation of 'em.

Here comes the BIG judge--and he's not white nor American, either.

The jury.

The defendants, the familiar Backbone Chain gang members are hauled out, including Rummy. And "The U.S. Congress"

The charges are paraded, one by one.

Defendants are sullen and unrepentant.

The people of Iraq have their day in court.

Antiwar vets testify.

These are the er, peace-loving dove people, or something.

Budding hippie potheads pronounce the sentence.

Um, I think the ending was optimistic. I looked for a guillotine, but none appeared. That was the only disappointment. Applause, applause.

Complete 2-5-07 Watada Rally Photo Gallery