Lisa Petri of Code Pink holding the sign, devoted to stopping another war
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Also from Code Pink was local coordinator Miranda Barker, who was carrying both a HONK FOR PEACE and an IMPEACH THEM BOTH sign. She was rather blunt about our current leadership in the White House: "The best thing we could do right now is put them all in straight-jackets." She is on record in a press release as saying that "once again we are beating the drums of war on the assumption that another country has weapons that our own intelligence has shown they do not have".
When I asked her in person just why she was here today, she replied, "I'm here because over 4,000 of our soldiers died over lies and I see us heading straight for Iran over the same lies." She continued that it is "the citizens' responsibility to see that our troops are not sent anywhere not absolutely necessary." She implores us all to remember that the Declaration of Independence allows us to replace a government that no longer represents us. If Congressmen are complicit in working against us, "if they are not willing to uphold their oaths", Miranda concluded, "then we need to start paying someone who will do the job."
Miranda Barker, local coordinator of Code Pink holding two signs
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Kenneth Nygren, with a fascinating white beard and holding a VAWN (Virginia Anti-War Network) sign that read STOP WAR ON IRAN, was the next individual I interviewed. He described himself as a concerned citizen from Richmond who is passionately against the position the country has taken, of implementing military solutions for non-military problems. He stated that, "I would like to see this country do less for corporate needs and more for human needs, and, when we are exporting democracy, I hope that that would mean something other than the freedom of corporations to make money anyway they can."
Protestors lined Shore Drive in front of the Amphib Base
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Pamela Ann Bro, wearing shorts and a Food Not Bombs tee-shirt, was standing with her mom, June, both of them sporting sunglasses and carrying signs. Actually her mother was carrying what looked like an American Indian hoop drum. On its white surface had been painted a peace symbol with the words "Peace Drum". Pamela Anne herself was carrying a sign with a photo of children's faces upon it that read: NO WAR ON IRAQ, with the Q in Iraq crossed out and the letter N substituted. When I asked her who she represents, she replied, "the Living Waters Sanctuary", a church in Virginia Beach, which she described as a "progressive universal Christian community". She is the minister.
When I asked her why she was here today, she answered, " To voice protest against the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and the pending war in Iran; to speak for the pain of the people of Iraq, as well as the needless suffering of our troops. War is making things worse, not better." Instead, she proclaims, "Let's work for values of education, race relations and understanding between peoples and governments."
A drum for peace
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I then walked up to a fellow in a black tee-shirt carrying a sign that read STOP WAR ON IRAN BEFORE IT STARTS. This was James Bailey, an African-American veteran and member of the local chapter of Veterans for Peace. He explained that he is out there on behalf of his stepson, who is in the Marine Corps. "My stepson has just gotten orders to deploy to Iraq," James explained, and he is protesting against "the idea of him going over there to support illegal wars."
In fact James feels that he is speaking out not only for his stepson, but for everybody's sons: "I don't want our leaders directing kids to unnecessary wars." James also recounted how when he was enlisted, as well as today, if soldiers, Marines or sailors attempt to exercise their constitutional rights to assembly and free speech by attending rallies like today's, there can be negative repercussions. Even if they are dressed as civilians and doing nothing to defame the military, the fact of the matter is, James said, that, if identified by a superior at one of these events, they can pay a price in retaliation. James reiterated, then, that he was speaking out for all those enlisted folks who would like to speak out, yet fear the consequences.
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