Washblog

This is the picture I sent to Sasha, an activist who is gathering war protest pictures from all over. Sasha's friend who requested the pictures travels throughout Iraq on humanitarian missions, and has a wide network.

From: sasha.crow@gmail.com

Subject: You can send a message to people in Iraq

I suggest that you send your personal message to the people of Iraq with a photo of yourself holding a paper that has your message on it. Please be sure to write it large enough so it can be read in the photo.

If enough people respond to this, I will post these photos on the COLLATERAL REPAIR PROJECT web site, in addition to sending them to Iraq (and to our Iraqi friends in Jordan) Please also send photos of your marches and demonstrations. ~ in peace & action, Sasha

But I'll back up - the protest started earlier, 3-4pm in White Center, under a brilliant sun.

 West Seattle Neighbors stage a demonstration on the corner of 15th & Roxbury every Wednesday. Today it was in solidarity with thousands of MoveOn.org members who are doing the same to mark the 5th Anniversary of Shame.

Karen displayed both a hopeful message of her own and a different sort of message made by me.

Hard to find a balance between an uplifting message of Peace, Hope, and Brotherhood, and just wanting to bludgeon the living daylights out of a bunch of Neocons and smack the hell out of timid Dems, isn't it?

John, our leader trained by Sound Non-Violent opponents of War (SNOW) seems to find a good balance, strong and insistent.

Part 2: WESTLAKE CENTER
By 5:30 when we arrived at Westlake, the afternoon had turned nasty, windy, cold and wet. Turnout was rather small, 200 maybe. Protestors struggled with soggy and wilting paper and cardbord signs, frigid hands and feet.

Our radical friends (?) from A.N.S.W.E.R. were efficiently in charge as usual, setting up waterproof banners, sound and video equipment, scheduling rabble-rousing speakers, a performance poet and singer/musicians. They never seem to publish a program of events, so unfortunately I never remember, afterwards, the names of the featured individuals.

Above: Yes, some wanted to go THERE - what can I say?

No matter WHAT the leftist cause du jour, it's ALWAYS about Gaza and Israel to these folks. The banner gets plenty of exposure.

Good to know the "Seattle Anti-Imerialist Committee" is on top of things.

Above & below, young protestors making a fashion/art/political statement of which I approve.

They stand shoulder to shoulder with grizzly old boomers.

Some have a minimalist approach.

Not sure what category this man might fit, if any. UPDATE 3-31: The man has been tentatively identified as Ray Miller, President of NABVET (National Association of Black Veterans). He was at Veterans For peace Chapter 92's meeting om 3/15. NABVET will hold a “Day of Honor” for the 28 wrongly convicted Black military men convicted of the 1944 rioting. The event will be at Fort Lawton on the 25th of May from 2-6pm. VFP 92 co-sponsor the event.

He is watching the performance artist, (a prize-winning poet, we are told) who entranced the audience with a monologue "I am Sand" - or something like that.

Stewart, tireless Eco-Lefty Boomer.

The Raging Grannies were damp but undaunted. They're STILL demanding impeachment. Go Grannies!