Seattle MoveOn Peace Vigil at Westlake
MoveOn.org always seems to inform its members of an upcoming national demonstration they're sponsoring with only a few days days notice, but someone always steps up to the plate and volunteers to organize. Lots of pictures below:
Yesterday must've been the 100th antiwar protest I've done since the worldwide "NO!" in March, 2003. Our righteous anger needs an outlet, yet those in power don't listen or care.
I spent the day making up a bunch of signs to share with fellow protestors, like those at left (that's me).
I do feel a good bit of satisfaction by expressing myself this particular way - at the same time it's sad that it's not nearly as many as I wish it would be, who care enough to participate, and mostly the same members of the Peace & Justice community I repeatedly see next to me.
This vigil featured reading of names from the list of killed in action, and singing of peace songs, lead by Janice Stecher of Rebel Voices and several members of the Seattle Labor Chorus. The Westlake passersby mostly didn't seem to even notice.
To be honest, I'm a little impatient with singalongs. I prefer to be thrilled by strong singers like Janice and inspired by great songs, rather than a weak choir of us ordinary folks repeating dumbed-down chants and refrains. But that's just me.
Am I the only person who winces at hearing "Give Peace a Chance"? That has to be the whiniest peace song of all time. Repeating the line "All we are saaaaayyyyyingggg..." thousands of times didn't work in the sixties, and it won't work now. What's next - "Kumbaya"? I want to destroy some Neocons, dammit!
God, am I becoming a curmudgeon or what? Get a grip, Dina...
B
Janice leading the song at left.
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Operation Democracy, I found out, is THIS:
"On Thanksgiving Eve of the year 1947, a group of Locust Valley people met at the Matinecock Neighborhood House to launch a movement of help and friendship between Americans and the peoples of war-torn Europe which has since become known to the world over as Operation Democracy. Underlying this movement was the belief that peace cannot be achieved by governments alone but must start in the hearts of people themselves. It was felt no government process could be a substitute for human understanding and that some way had to be found for the average American to do something about peace."
Really? Everyone knows troops and tanks sent in to liberate such countries works every time. AND then installing a pro-U.S. leader, a McDonald's and American pop songs. That is enough to engender the undying gratitude of the populace. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don't think about killing. Think about cupcakes!
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